
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

ChapH.^rtopyright No. 

Shelf.. 5 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 


/ 




“If wives will learn any thing let them ask their husbands 0 

1 Cok., XIV: 35 


If old maids (or widows) let them ask the bachelors. 



NEW YORK : 

Paul Morse, Publisher, P. 0. Box 950. 
1895. 







< 2 ,^ 


Copyrighted, 1895 



Y\ 


PREFACE. 


Newport is the great matrimonial mart of 
America, where often mothers unblushingly sell 
their daughters to the broken-down sprigs and 
venerable roues of the noblesse of Europe. 

But American fathers are not conspicuous 
on auction days in the matrimonial market at 
Newport, where American wealth and feminine 
patriotism are bartered for titles. Why? Be- 
cause our fathers believe, and teach their sons 
to believe, in a Republic. They practice what 
they preach. Why are women so fickle in 
patriotism, while the men are steadfast ? Who 
can answer ? 

Is it because the women are more ambitious, 
as some declare? Ambitious for what? To 
obtain what the Republic refuses to grant — a 


PREFACE. 


title. This title-worshiping sentiment is dor- 
mant in many a poor girl ; but, if she become 
rich, she too wants a titled hubby. Humiliat- 
ing as it is, it is a fact, that to supply the 
American girls with titles has cost in cash more 
than one of our wars with England. 

In a few more years monarchical Europe will 
soon be able to wage war against us with the 
money secured from patriotic (?) American 
women. Yet women want to vote ! Oh, don’t 
they love to sing of America — sweet land of 
liberty ; but when it comes to matrimony, don’t 
they love Europe — sweet land of titles ! 

Nevertheless, let the dear women marry whom 
they choose, but until they repent of this sin, 
I, who with blissful forbearance, pay taxes for 
the benefit of other peoples’ children, consider 
it a personal privilege to “ kick ” against their 
voting. 


A Bachelor. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER. 


A Prince Ashore, 

I 

He Goes to Church, 

II 

Women in Control, - 

III 

Intellectual Wooing, 

IV 

First Engagement, - 

Y 

Love’s Labor Lost, 

VI 

Scheming, - 

- VII 

A Wanderer, 

VIII 

A California Home, - 

IX 

Childhood, 

X 

At Vassar, - 

XI 

At Newport, 

XII 

Second Engagement, 

- XIII 

Money Talks, 

XIV 

The Wedding and Journey, 

XV 

Life in Rome, 

XVI 

Bessie’s Return, 

- XVII 

Au Revoir, 

XVIII 


Dedicated 

to 

Those Women Who Would Rather be 
Men ! 

By the Author. 



Should Women Vote ? 


CHAPTER I. 

A PRINCE ASHORE. 

“ Society Gossip — all about a live Prince 
just landed ! ” shouted a bare-footed newsboy 
as he scurried across the street at the beck of 
a fashionably-dressed lady, who was sitting in 
the shade of a Chinese Magnolia tree in front 
of one of the famous hotels of Newport, Rhode 
Island, 1893. 

At the approach of the newsboy she arose, 
gracefully deposited a stylish pug-dog on the 
grass, and gave a quarter in exchange for the 
paper. The little urchin touched his hat, 
thanked her, and passed up the street, shout- 
ing louder than before that there was a live 
Prince in town and no fake about it. 

The lady resumed her seat and scanned 
eagerly the head-lines of the paper, when her 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


2 

eyes soon rested on the desired article. Her 
right hand hung carelessly by her side as she 
continued reading; but the petted pug, think- 
ing that it was neglected, commenced to 
playfully bite her jeweled fingers. Once or 
twice she boxed its ears in a manner to indicate 
that she did not wish to be annoyed while 
reading about such an august personage, who 
was now a stranger within the gates of New- 
port. 

The paper gave a very flattering account of 
the Prince ; laid special stress on the facts 
that he was born about twenty-five years ago 
under clear Italian skies, was witty, well 
educated, and spoke several languages fluently ; 
that the society critics had pronounced his 
pedigree the bluest; and that mothers with 
marriageable daughters should not fail to im- 
prove the golden opportunity, as he was single 
and a fine catch. 

This very attractive lady, on finishing the 
brief account of the Prince, remained in a deep 
reverie for a few minutes, then arose, and, as 
she walked slowly to the hotel, muttered : 

“We can’t all marry him; but if I — Sorosis 
Blackstone — don’t capture a Prince, then what 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


does it profit me to be a social leader and rich 
in bonds and intellect ? ” 

Prince Colombo, Rome, Italy — such was his 
signature and address on the register of one of 
the fashionable hotels — was of noble Italian 
blood and a descendant of Christopher Colum- 
bus. In his far-off home he had, on various 
public occasions, expressed himself in terms 
similar to those of the young Emperor of 
Germany, that monarchs govern the people by 
a decree from God. Yet, after living a quarter 
of a century under these favorable decrees, he 
was so unfortunate as to find himself without em- 
ployment and with a very small bank account. 

The great question which then agitated the 
gray matter of his brain more than any thing 
else was how to bridge over the stringency in 
the money market until Providence created a 
vacancy in the noble family of Italy for his 
benefit. 

He believed that, “ a prophet hath no honor 
in his own country.” Some Princes were des- 
tined to be equally unfortunate. Then why not 
go to a Republic where Princes are unknown 
as a native product ? 

Still it might be better, as he was an Italian 


4 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


descendant of Columbus, to pass the charity- 
hat in America or apply to Congress for a pen- 
sion ; but upon second thought he wisely con- 
cluded that it would not prove a success, for 
the hat had already gone around for his poor 
relatives in ’77 and ’93, and came back empty. 

Again, if he crossed the Atlantic and sought 
the hand of a rich American woman, and if she 
really detests a title like her brothers, he would 
be out his passage-money. But if she preferred 
a monarchy to a Republic he had a good show 
to make a financial winning. 

He' despised the Republic of the United 
States for being so penurious as to fail to grant 
a pension to a distinguished, but indigent, 
Spanish relative of Columbus, who had lost 
every thing, save his noble honor, at a bull-fight. 
But down deep in his heart he believed that 
if a certain class of American women had been 
in power in Congress in 1877, he, along with 
many other Italian representatives of the 
Columbus family, would not now be suffering 
from financial depression. 

The money question drov ) him almost to des- 
peration — stern reality, not a theory, was now 
staring the young Prince in the face. Was ho 


SHOULD WOMEN YOTE ? 


5 


equal to the emergency of the hour? He was. 
He bade adieu to his native land, where titles 
are plentiful and heiresses few, and sailed for 
the United States of America, determined to 
fight this poverty problem to a finish. 

On arriving at New York he did not tarry, 
but secured a cabin passage at once on the Fall 
River line for Newport, where he landed with- 
out any display or a retinue of servants. 

But what a furore was created when the New 
York papers, which came on the same steam- 
er, gave the public a more extended account 
of the Prince ! Nearly every woman’s tongue 
was set wagging until late at night, and more 
than one society lady was restless in her sleep 
lest the dear Prince, in an unguarded moment, 
might select for a wife one who was unworthy 
of his noble blood. 

However, by a little forethought the Prince 
tried to fortify himself against such a calamity 
by adopting the rules governing a country fair 
— note the good points of all competitors before 
announcing the prize-winner. 

The passengers did not pay any great respect 
to the Prince. He became frightened and regis- 
tered at the hotel with fear and trembling, think 


e 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


ing that a great people who had forsaken the 
ways of king-rule years ago might look with 
disfavor on him. Here is where the Prince be- 
came unnecessarily disturbed. He reasoned 
that as king-rule and monarchical customs were 
abolished by the sword and that a republican 
form of government had been established, fos- 
tered and perpetuated by the men of America, it 
was, therefore, reasonably certain that the repub- 
lican spirit was equally shed abroad in the hearts 
of the women of America. In fact, he was cer- 
tain that the rearing and the educating of chil- 
dren under the republican form of government 
stamped that system indelibly upon the minds 
of the males and females, and that the people 
in America were to-day more loyal than those 
of 76. 

This caused great apprehension, and he 
thought he was taking desperate chances. He 
should have been, on general principles, in a 
calmer frame of mind ; for many a man who 
follows Cupid has to take desperate chances. 

The Prince, as a logician, was a failure ; but 
as a lady-killer he was the lion of the hour. 
He took Newport by surprise, and won. 

The first evening his photographs were for 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


7 


sale in the book stores, in the theatres, and 
hawked in the Hall of Woman’s Rights, where 
the sales were enormous. It takes money to 
live in Newport, and even an impecunious 
Prince knows sometimes how to be thrifty. 

Beginning with such success, what more 
could he ask? Yet he did ask a swell young 
man with a Whangee cane if a Prince would 
receive as cordial a reception in the Western 
cities as in that fashionable watering place. 
Graciously the young man applied to informed 
him that as Newport goes so goes the Union. 


CHAPTER II. 


HE GOES TO CHURCH. 

The next day being Sunday, the last edition 
of the Saturday evening papers announced the 
church at which the Prince would attend divine 
service. 

That was enough. The public conscience 
was quickened, and it was plain to all that 
there would be a great outpouring of the 
people, rain or shine. 

There were more church-going men and 
women in Newport that Sunday morning than 
there have been before or since. It is strange — 
very strange — how strongly religious convic- 
tions took hold of some people whose hearts 
had been seared for years with a hot iron. 
They arose willingly that morning at an early 
hour to prepare themselves, it might be sup- 
posed, for a powerful discourse on the wicked- 
ness of this world and the only way to blot out 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


9 


All classes of men, women and children were 
deeply interested. Even the agnostic, who, 
heretofore, was so weighed down with “doubts” 
that the burden made him too tired to go to 
church, went this Sunday. Although he had 
serious doubts about a live Prince attending 
service he said that he would risk it, even if 
he got laughed at. He was seen fully half an 
hour before time resting on the church steps 
and sighing for the doors to open. 

Long before the officiating minister com- 
menced the service, even before the good man 
had his breakfast, a heterogeneous crowd lined 
up in front of the church, so as to be ready to 
enter in time and not to disturb divine service 
by being late. 

How thoughtful ! 

When the doors were at last thrown open the 
crowd went in without the usual formalities, 
while the old, the lame and blind were kindly 
rescued by the ushers. There are many phases 
of religious fervor, which some ministers know 
how to arouse. 

It has been said by able writers that the 
“Parliament of Pteligions,” which assembled at 
the World’s Fair in Chicago, 1893, was the 


10 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


crowning glory of the nineteenth century, be- 
cause it brought together on one platform and 
under one roof the religions of the world. 

To have representatives of the bewildering 
maze of Oriental faiths and those of Judaism 
and Christianity sit down together without 
fighting should not be considered such a great 
feat ; for they are all sanctified and represent 
the highest state of religious development in 
their respective countries. 

But when, as on this Sabbath morning, the 
society man and the plebeian, the millionaire 
and the pauper, the lady in silks and the ser- 
vant in calico, the philanthropist and the beggar, 
the deacon and the gambler, the infidel between 
two Christians, the Jew beside a Mormon, the 
Protestant sandwiched between two Catholics, 
the Chinaman and the hoodlum occupying one 
pew, all under one roof in peace and listening to 
divine service while watching a Prince — that 
was a notable feat, if not the crowning glory, of 
the nineteenth century. 

Compared with this any one can see that the 
Parliament of Religions at the World’s Fair 
was only a kindergarten. Fashionable Newport 
always leads. Hardly half of the people could 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


11 


find seats, so great was the multitude ; and many 
remarked what an improvement it was over 
former Sundays, as Newport was not particu- 
larly noted for godliness. 

The chiming of the church bells had died 
away. The altar was gorgeous and the music 
filled the church with sweet melodies. Suddenly 
a stillness pervaded the house of God. The 
multitude had ceased to breathe and all eyes 
were turned toward the entrance-door. The 
Prince was walking down the aisle. When the 
usher had seated him in a pew, the American 
congregation breathed again. The services 
were continued and a brilliant discourse de- 
livered. The minister seemed to divine the 
needs of the people this morning, for the sing- 
ing was good, the prayers and the sermon were 
short and to the point. 

When the last prayer was being pronounced 
and the heads were bending low in supplica- 
tion, the society ladies could be seen looking 
through their fingers at the dear Prince — obliv- 
ious of their surroundings. Presently, enchant- 
ing music filled the church, where spiritual 
advice had been sown broadcast, whether it fell 
on good or stony soil, and the congregation 
passed out 


32 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


The yearning to see the Prince proved to be 
only a morbid curiosity on the part of the ma- 
jority of the people ; for when they had beheld 
his “ Royal Nibs,” as they called him, they 
were satisfied and cared no more about him 
than about a prize ox at an agricultural fair. 

This, however, was not the case with the mi- 
nority, which was composed principally of fe- 
males of the ultra-fashionable set. The male 
contingency of the minority consisted of a 
sprinkling of responsible men, who were well 
versed in international courtesies, and the re- 
mainder showed all the characteristics of ciga- 
rette dudes. 

Society, as constituted at this famous sum- 
mer resort, claims to represent par excel- 
lence — all the wisdom, culture and refinement of 
the Republic. 

But what has a century of republican teach- 
ing amounted to? The fair daughters of 
America almost fell over each other in their 
wild scramble to throw themselves — pocket- 
book and all — into the lap of this august 
Prince. Even a bankrupt Prince is to them 
what the golden calf was to the followers of 
Moses— a god. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


13 


The Republic refuses to make Princes for 
American women, but somehow they get them. 

Whether the yearning after what is not al- 
lowed to be produced in a country is the result 
of a perverse nature or the natural consequence 
of mental weaknesses is an open question. It 
might be, probably is, a combination of both 
tendencies. 

Whatever the true answer may be, it is a 
fact, that the society women of Newport were 
in ecstacy ; and to give fuller expression in 
private to their emotions this coterie of female 
loveliness actually clapped their manicured 
hands, entwined their alabaster arms around 
each others necks and wept for joy; because 
they had at last surrounded, without going to 
the jungles of Africa, a real live Prince. 

Each one believed that she had a good chance 
of forming an alliance which would join her 
semi-plebeian blood with the best brand that 
flows in the veins of Italian nobility. 

They were unanimous in the opinion that not 
only must A he Prince receive proper respect ac- 
cording to his rank, but that his affections must 
be assiduously cultivated. Now, experience 
teaches us that to cultivate a Prince’s affections 


14 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


successfully a big bank account is the most 
effective fertilizer up to date. 

These ladies admitted this, in whispers, to 
themselves ; but in public nothing shocked 
their sensitive nerves so much as to hear a man 
avow such sordid motives. It made no differ- 
ence if the Prince were lop-sided and pigeon- 
toed — provided his title were straight — he must 
be amused, worshiped, and finally loved, so 
that the Old World could not say reproachfully 
that American women do not know a good thing 
when they see it. They insisted that manly 
worth was what they admired and that titles 
were foreign to their thoughts. What lawyers 
these women would make ! 

Late that Sunday night what a happy and 
contented expression was on the Prince’s face 
as he was seated in his gorgeous room looking 
over fully a dozen invitations from society 
women to dine with them. Introduced one day 
and dining with the ladies the next ! That’s 
the way to get acquainted — that’s polite society 
among the fashionable set. 

Before the Prince retired for the night his 
heart overflowed with joy, and he exclaimed : 

“ Am 1 dreaming ? No ; this is a reality. If 


SHOTTLD WOMEST VOTE ? 


15 


I had only those charming ladies to influence I 
would have them present me with a kingly 
crown. It is a shame — an outrage — not to al- 
low women free suffrage. The constitution 
thwarts my plans. I hate it. Oh, if American 
women were allowed to vote this Republic 
would be no more, for I would be their Idol 
and their King. 

“ But yesterday I came ashore with my mone- 
tary system run down ; yet I have already — to 
use a hunter’s expression — struck twelve trails, 
which, if followed up, will lead on to fortune.” 


CHAPTER III 


WOMEN IN CONTROL. 

The season opened early and the society 
men had not yet, in any great numbers, put in 
an appearance. The women were in full con- 
trol, and the Prince was initiated into the aris- 
tocratic circles of society in direct violation of 
the rules and formulae laid down years ago by 
the leaders of the exclusive set. 

“We women are the bosses now and men- 
customs don’t go,” exclaimed the social leader, 
as she glanced into the mirror to see if her 
eyelashes were properly penciled, “and we 
shall not adhere to the old rules, but welcome 
the Prince at once into the inner circles.” 

When society sets up a high standard to be 
observed the members should see to it that the 
time-honored rules are not ignored by any one, 
not even by foreigners with questionable, obso- 
lete, or first-class titles. 

But when a certain class of women gain 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


17 


control of any thing it is generally accepted by 
the public as a foregone conclusion that they 
will try to reverse every thing that man has in 
any way sanctioned, including the laws of grav- 
itation. What else could be expected when 
the Woman Eights Club proclaims that the 
American husband is studiously tyrannical ? 

The Prince was royally entertained and his 
campaign of love-making commenced under fa- 
vorable auspices. There was a striking simi- 
larity between the actions of the society ladies 
at this time and the French people years ago, 
when France was under a monarchical govern- 
ment. 

The French disputed about who were to be 
and who were not to be kissed by the Queen ; 
who should help the King to put on his shirt; 
who should hold his basin; and they almost 
fought who should have the great honor to give 
him his napkin as he ate at his meals. 

Now, the women at the hotel actually quar- 
reled, if they did not fight, about who should 
have the honor of sitting near the Prince when 
he ate his meals. Disputes were of daily oc- 
currence, and, at one time, owing to the actions 
of a couple of Canadian ladies, it looked as if 


18 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


the affair might terminate into an international 
question to be settled by arbitration or by war. 

Whoever could avert such a national calamity 
must not only be looked upon as a public 
benefactor, but as a diplomat of no mean 
ability. To say the least, it is surprising how 
the right man at the right time arises and 
proves himself equal to the occasion — which is 
another proof of the boundless resources of the 
so-called tyrannical American. 

The head waiter very adroitly let it be known 
that the women who desired to have the high 
honor of sitting close to the Prince at meal-time 
must send in their “tips” a day in advance ; 
that the bigger the fee the closer the seat, and 
that all contracts would be scrupulously 
carried out. 

To show how a title-worshiping sentiment 
takes hold of the society ladies and compels 
them to part with their money, it is only neces- 
sary to state that when the season closed at 
Newport the head waiter bought a hotel. 

The ladies swarmed around the Prince like 
butterflies, and it required no little tact to treat 
all so courteously as not to offend even the most 
sensitive. If a pretty lady, whom the Prince 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


19 


desired to bask in his smiles for the day, pos- 
sessed such a figure that a glove-fitting riding 
habit would enhance her graceful form, they 
could be seen, either in the morning or evening, 
cantering on well-groomed and mettlesome 
horses along the noted driveways in the forest, 
or out at Bellevue avenue, or along the sea- 
shore and the delightful Narragansett highway. 
They were not bashful or demure, but chatted 
and laughed in an unconventional way as they 
breathed the invigorating ozone wafted inland 
by the brisk breeze from the ocean. 

But .if a lady possessed an embonpoint 
bordering on obesity a strong equipage was 
procured, and they drove along the road farther 
afield, where the lambs gambol on the green 
meadows. With such a lady, no difference how 
worthy, he never appeared on a bicycle. The 
Prince drew the line of propriety very nicely. 
It was absolutely necessary for him to ingrati- 
ate himself in this way, in order to ascertain 
who possessed a plethoric purse. He proposed 
to do his own match-making, though a stranger. 

Usually he lunched with the lady at her villa 
or hotel, and often days before she announced 
triumphantly the coming event. She invited all 


20 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


of her most intimate friends, and money was not 
spared to make the luncheon a grand success. 

To add to the amusement on such an occasion 
a noted magician is sometimes employed to 
exhibit the latest and cleverest tricks of his 
art. Or famous dancing girls appear in quaint 
costumes, and their inspiring songs, accom- 
panied by the liveliest step, delightfully enter- 
tain the fashionable guests. Informal afternoon 
teas are for a while the rage. 

If they did not go to some notable cotillon in 
the evening then they visited the theatre or 
opera where they occupy a private box; and, as 
a rule, attract more attention than the star 
player before the foot-lights. 

After the performance they enter one of the 
superb private apartments of a cafe and enjoy a 
quiet repast all to themselves, where wit, merri- 
ment and wine flow together. At a late hour 
they return to the hotel or villa to seek the 
needed rest that will prepare them for the next 
day’s festivities. And so from day to day the 
social whirl continues. 

The programme was changed somewhat from 
time to time, so that the gay life would not be- 
come monotonous. The gilded youths encour- 
aged all games and frolics that the foreigners, 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


21 


who were hunting for a rich wife, might suggest. 

There was from the very opening of the sea- 
son a fair number of the Newport habitues of 
the foreign colony. Although they had been 
unsuccessful for a season or so, yet they were 
undaunted and were as anxious as ever to try 
their luck. Some were respectable, and others 
venerable roues; but all proved to be equally 
fortunate this time in bestowing titular dignity 
on the American heiress — fair or otherwise — 
who guaranteed a snug fortune in return. 

Marriage at Newport is not a failure. It is 
a commercial transaction in which the heiress 
gets what her despised native land will not 
give her — a title; and the man of noble blood 
gets what he did not have enterprise enough to 
acquire in his own country — money. Both 
should be happy. 

In many cases, although it is a mutual ex- 
change of commodities, Europe gets the best of 
the bargain. But whether foreign countries 
always come out ahead is a hard question to 
answer, for a good deal depends upon the point 
of view from which a person forms his opinion. 

Many a young lady has arisen out of the 
dining-rooms of the West and became, after her 


22 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


father had acquired a million or more, a bride 
of a nobleman in the Old World. 

An equal, if not a larger number, of the sons 
of the nobility come from the Old World to 
America, and after a year or so become distin- 
guished at last as hash-distributors in the 
dining-rooms of the West. 

When the Prince’s attention was called to 
this he said that no American had any just 
cause to complain as a fair exchange is no 
robbery. 

The rivalry among the ladies to capture the 
only Prince in Newport had become intense, 
and many ingenious schemes were devised to 
accomplish their purpose before other fascinat- 
ing daughters of Columbia put in an appear- 
ance and joined in the scramble fora title. Up 
to this time there were many conspicuous 
ladies who had made deep impressions on the 
Prince. Some had intellect as their stock in 
trade, others beauty which they augmented by 
Parisian art, and then there were those whose 
only charm was wealth, which they enhanced 
by quiet little rumors with upward financial 
tendencies. Some had a combination for an at- 
traction. The matrimonial market was decid- 
edly lively. 


CHAPTER IV. 


INTELLECTUAL WOOING. 

In swinging around the aristocratic circles, 
the Prince feasted with nearly every matri- 
monially inclined lady of wealth in Newport. 
He was delighted that he had been so fortunate 
in casting his lot among women who really 
idolize a nobleman. 

But he was charmed beyond expression by 
the splendid entertainments given in his honor 
by the social leader, Miss Sorosis Blackstone, 
whose claim to a long line of rich, highly cul- 
tured and blue-blooded ancestors was never 
disputed — in her presence. On her father’s side 
she traced her lineage to a dashing young officer 
who served with distinction under the original 
Captain John Smith, of Virginia; and, on her 
mother’s side she could give without hesitation 
the number of the stateroom that her dear old 
ancestor occupied on the Mayflower. 


24 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


Being very fascinating in conversation and 
adroit in manipulating her plans, it was no 
uncommon occurrence for her to refer — of 
course, incidentally — to her revered ancestors 
while talking to the Prince ; and then, inciden- 
tally again, remind him that there were many 
beautiful young ladies in Newport society 
whose pedigrees would not bear close scrutiny. 

Her air of superiority over other ladies, her 
gorgeous turn-outs and her display of financial 
acuteness, which so captivated the Prince and 
made herself famous, only excited envy in many 
of her competitors. They were not slow in their 
criticism of her. Her faults were magnified and 
her good qualities ignored. She did not care. 
She could withstand such weaknesses with her 
superior intellect and strong-mindedness. 

The Prince did not consider this. He had 
not been in America long enough. He pitied 
her. She smiled and enjoyed the notoriety. 
The first indications of affinity between them 
became noticeable about this time. The Prince 
often remarked that she was so magnetic, and 
she declared the Prince to be the noblest of 
the noble. 

They were much together, and the people 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


25 


wondered if Cupid really intended to make 
them one, for there was a great disparagement 
in their ages. There were gray hairs in her 
curled tresses and crow’s feet in her face — 
when her complexion was not properly adjusted. 
But as the newspapers often referred to her as 
a lady of great wealth — which was left to her 
recently by an aunt — the Prince could not dis- 
cover a gray hair or a wrinkle. 

They were love-making. Love is blind. Lavish 
entertainments were continued at her villa, 
which never failed to bring forth praises from 
the guest of honor. She believed, by feasting 
him, it would help her to win his love ; and he, 
by flattering her. 

That she was distancing all of her competi- 
tors was apparent, and that it was only a ques- 
tion of time when she would win the coveted 
prize, although she had neither a symmetrical 
figure nor a pretty face. In fact, she was 
homely. Many theories were advanced to ex- 
plain her commanding influence over the Prince 
in so short a time. 

It was a puzzle to the expert agents in the 
matrimonial market. There were plenty of 
young, pretty and rich ladies, who were apply- 


26 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


ing all the fine arts known to the fertile brain 
of womankind to entice the Prince from his 
elderly lady-love. There was no use in trying 
again, for all efforts had proved a failure. The 
agents marveled and were astonished. A like 
exhibition they had never witnessed before. 

Youth, beauty, high social position and 
wealth were as .naught compared to old age, 
ugliness, strong-mindedness, and, as the Prince 
thought, more wealth. 

Some said, behold, she has hypnotized him ; 
that Cupid had nothing to do in this case but 
look on and weep ; and that before long man, 
who has been the glory of the earth since the 
creation, would now become a mere toy in the 
hands of any woman possessing hypnotic 
powers. 

While more conservative persons did not 
take such a discouraging view, but boldly de- 
clared that she was the forerunner of the era 
of the “New Woman.” There was some truth 
in the latter statement, for night after night the 
Prince and Miss Blackstone were in the library 
of her villa, discussing nearly every thing from 
the powers and limitations of the constitution 
to occult science. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


27 


“Have you not noticed,” she remarked to the 
Prince one night in the library, “ that women 
are forging ahead in the arts and sciences so 
fast as to alarm the male savants ? ” 

“Indeed, I have, since I came to America,” 
answered the Prince, diplomatically. 

“Women all over the world are demanding 
their rights, but it is in this country more than 
any other that the giantess is challenging the 
giant to intellectual combat. In my opinion 
it is only a question of a few years when woman 
will be recognized as the standard authority on 
every subject. I shall do all I can to hasten 
the day.” 

“Tour opinion is correct,” said the Prince, 
“ but how do you reconcile it with St. Paul’s 
opinion about women ? ” 

“St. Paul!” she repeated, and her eyes flash- 
ed as she pronounced the name. “ He was just 
like the ordinary bachelor of to-day — no good. 
Mark what I tell you. It is only a question of 
time when the women will fix St. Paul for all 
time to come.” 

“ How can they — he’s dead ? ” 

“ The outraged women have been waiting for 
penturies to get ‘ even ’ with St. Paul, and it 


28 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


will be done when the ‘new woman’ completes 
the revision of the Bible. Then there will 
be but one correct book — the Woman’s Bible — 
and old St. Paul won’t be in it. But I don’t 
like to discuss religious questions at this time.” 

“ How do you account for the superiority of 
woman over man ? Is it natural or acquired ?” 
asked the Prince, changing the subject about 
St. Paul. 

“ It is both. From the very beginning of 
formation the feminine protoplasm was finer 
and more delicately organized than the mascu- 
line protoplasm, and therefore capable of higher 
development. But owing to vicious and inhu- 
man laws enacted by men who were mentally 
incapacitated to do justice, women have been 
held in subjection and their intellectual attain- 
ments have been checked. Of course this does 
not apply to the nobility.” 

“Pardon me for my ignorance, Miss Sorosis 
Blackstone, but what do you mean when you 
say that certain men were mentally incapaci- 
tated to do justice to women?” 

“ That is a very hard question to explain un- 
less one is thoroughly posted in anatomy, 
physiology and psychology. It gives me great 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


29 


pleasure to elucidate such a complex problem 
to a great man like you ; for I know that you 
will not only understand what I say, but you 
will agree with my scientific deductions. I have 
paid much thought to the peculiarities of men, 
and naturally desiring to have them get along 
in the world as well as the women, I endeavor 
not to treat them harshly. I have given them 
the benefit of all doubts, and I find that ac- 
cording to my way of thinking the men are not 
such bad creatures after all. The bad things 
they do are traceable to a defective mental or- 
ganization caused by physical imperfections. 
I will now show you why men are guilty of so 
many idiosyncrasies. 

“ Let us take, for example, a broad-shouldered 
man, six feet tall and weighing two hundred 
pounds. Let us say that he has a perfect 
physique. Now, you are aware that his body 
contains what is called a nervous system — that 
is, nerves running all through it, ramifying 
every nook and corner. You are also aware 
that man’s brains are supposed to be in his 
head. This is an egregious error. 

“In his head there are, however, some brains 
— in fact, two. The big brain is called cere- 


30 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


brum and the little one cerebellum. Now, 
along these nerves which form a net-work 
throughout the body there are hundreds of 
ganglions or little brains at regular intervals. 
This brain-system might aptly be compared 
to the various telegraph stations. The main 
office, or big brain, is in New York City, the 
head ; while the many small offices, or little 
brains, are scattered throughout the country, 
the body. 

“You know that it is from the head-office that 
all orders are promulgated, but the execution of 
which depends entirely upon the ganglions or 
small offices scattered along the system. If 
there is not enough of intelligence at the main 
office in New York City to issue the necessary 
orders to carry on properly the work for which 
the telegraph system was created, there would 
evidently be great confusion and great injustice 
would ensue. Again, if there is not enough of 
intelligence distributed at the various stations 
over the country the orders would not be obeyed 
and confusion would be the result as before. To 
have a proper system then, there must be suffi- 
cient intelligence at every point or station. 

“ So it is with man. This man with a perfect 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


31 


physique, so far as the eye can determine at a 
glance, may not have enough brains in his head 
to issue the proper orders or think rightly on 
great questions which come before him for 
settlement. Again, he may have too much 
brains in his head, and in that case he is top- 
heavy. In either case confusion reigns and 
confusion leads to injustice. Where he has too 
much brains in the body and not enough in the 
head he is easily susceptible of wrong doing.” 

“But suppose he has not enough in either 
body or head?” broke in the Prince. 

“ Please do not anticipate. But in that case 
he is to be pitied — he’s an idiot. The perfect 
man is one in which there is enough of brains, 
properly distributed, in both head and body. 

“Now, what you asked me to explain at the 
start was why I said that the men were mentally 
incapacitated to pass just laws for women. To 
be pointed, the reason is this. The men were 
suffering from too much brains in the body and 
not enough in the head to do justice. They 
may have had good intentions, but good inten- 
tions can not eradicate an organic trouble or 
defect.” 

“ Do you think the men are suffering to-day 


32 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


with similar ailments?” asked the Prince, 
timidly. 

“ Most decidedly I do. I not only think so, 
but I know it. The nobility — they’re all right. 
But take the average man and his head is 
robbing the body, or the body is robbing the 
head, of brains. The perfect common man is 
yet to be, and until that time comes woman 
will be robbed of her rights.” 

“ But I am told that a wife can hold property 
in her own right and do business independently 
of her husband,” said the Prince. 

“Yes ; that is so. The law in that way is very 
humane, and she can even sell her property in 
in New York without her husband’s signature 
to the deed.” 

“Does the law let the husband sell his prop- 
erty without his wife’s signature ? ” 

“ Indeed it don’t. The idea ! Man needs a 
woman to look after him, so he can’t squander 
the property,” answered Miss Sorosis Black- 
stone with emphasis, as an intellectual smile lit 
up her face. 

“ Who looks after the wife to keep her from 
squandering her property ? ” 

“Why, Prince, she doesn’t need anyone. She 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 33 

has brains of her own ; and the law compels a 
husband to pay his wife’s debts, too, and in case 
of a divorce she gets alimony?” 

“ But suppose the husband is poor and the 
w ife has property, does not the law then compel 
the wife to pay her husband’s debts? ” asked 
Prince Colombo very anxiously. 

“ Indeed it does not. The women of this 
country has stood tyranny enough without such 
an absurd law as that. We, woman rights 
advocates, have learnt the men of this country 
a little sense and before we are through with 
them will learn them a good deal more.” 

“ Suppose a bill became a law giving the 
women all the privileges that men enjoy, would 
not that be equal rights ? ” 

“ Of course it would be equal rights — that’s 
what we women are fighting for.” 

“ Well, it seems to me if Equal Bights mean 
any thing,” said the Prince, slowly ; “ it means 
that a rich husband must pay his poor wife’s 
debts, and a rich wife her poor husband’s debts 
and in case of a divorce give him alimony.” 

“No, no, Prince! You have the wrong idea. 
If we women get the right to vote at all elec- 
tions, the law in this particular will remain as 


34 


SHOULD WOMEtt VOTE ? 


it is — the husband must pay the wife’s debts, 
but the wife not the husband’s debts.” 

“ Would it not make a difference whom the 
American lady marries?” asked the Prince in 
great excitement. 

“ Oh, Prince, keep cool ; you have the wrong 
idea again. The statutory law, it is true, 
applies to American husbands ; but there is an 
unwritten law among American women to pay 
all debts of their titled foreign husbands. 
When we women get in power this unwritten 
law will become statutory and apply to titled 
foreign husbands only. Isn’t that satis- 
factory ? ” 

“Yes, yes,” said the Prince, kissing her hand. 
“ There is no doubt in my mind that American 
women like you, Miss Sorosis Blackstone, are 
far ahead of the American men in jurispru- 
dence.” 

“Indeed we are, Prince, and we intend to 
stay ahead ! ” replied Miss Blackstone. 

At this moment the electric bell rang and 
soon the servant appeared with cards on a 
salver, announcing a call from a party of 
friends. 


CHAPTER Y. 


FIRST ENGAGEMENT. 

The next evening the Prince and Miss Sorosis 
Blackstone were again in the library, with no 
danger of being molested by any one The 
servants had been instructed to inform all 
callers that the mistress was “not at home.” 

She was dressed with more than her usual 
taste, and the French maid might well be 
proud of her handiwork. The maid, however, 
could not lay claim to the all-pervading intel- 
lectuality — that was apparent to the Prince. 
The intellectuality belonged solely to the mis- 
tress, which the maid could not take off or put 
on. 

The Prince was looking admiringly upon her 
as she sat like a fairy on the divan, with two 
small gold-tipped shoes peeping from under a 
richly-embroidered silk gown. She seemed so 
bewitching, so young, so full of promise that 


36 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


the Prince felt like complimenting her, if it 
were proper, upon her general make-up. 

She returned his loving glances with a far- 
away look, as if her mind were gathering in- 
spiration for some great undertaking, then she 
said : 

“To gather wisdom should be the ambition 
of our lives.” 

“ It is,” said the Prince meekly, as he arose 
and took a seat on a stool at her feet. 

“I was saying last night that men who were 
suffering from the effects of too much brains in 
their bodies, had, by vicious laws, usurped 
authority over woman and kept her from devel- 
oping to that high state of intelligence for 
which nature has designed her. 

“If it had not been for those vicious laws a 
woman and not a man would have invented the 
steamboat, the telegraph, the telephone, etc.; 
and, what is more, they would have been in- 
vented a great deal better. 

“Woman can detect error when man can not. 

4T 

Look at the sewing machine. When the stupid 
man who invented it — I have forgotten his 
name — placed it on the market, the old thing 
was as hard to run as a threshing machine, so I 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


37 


have been told by my dressmaker. But the 
keen eye of the New Woman saw the defects, 
and finally compelled man to improve it as you 
see it to-day. 

“Men are naturally slow to improve, unless 
they are urged on by woman, who is always 
protecting him from the snares and pitfalls 
which hedge him in on every side. She sees 
danger ahead and her foresight enables her to 
avoid many obstacles ; while man, when left to 
himself, goes stumbling along in the dark, and 
finally winds up in the gutter, slightly disfigur- 
ed, perhaps, but stuck in the mud. She helps 
him on his feet again and gives him a few words 
of advice, which he seldom heeds. But these 
are not her only achievements. 

“ Great questions of Constitutional law that 
would knock such a man as Daniel Webster 
silly are now answered by woman off-hand with 
such accuracy as to put to shame poor, plodding 
man. Woman does not desire, through trick- 
ery, to humiliate man by her superiority ; but 
man might as well learn his place in nature first 
as last, and after learning it stay there.” 

“ My dear Sorosis, please tell me how woman 
secures such accurate snap-judgments. Is it 


38 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


by reason?” asked the Prince, with a great 
show of interest. 

“ Ah, that is a deep question, I assure you. 
I see you are following me up at every step,” 
answered Miss Blackstone, smiling down on 
him. 

“ Indeed, I am following you up,” said the 
Prince, blushing. 

She continued : 

“ Woman arriving at conclusions by reason- 
ing ! No ; that is man’s way. He makes up 
his mind by the slow process of reason, because 
he has a coarse organization. Now, I don’t 
blame him for his crude style. He does the 
best that he can. He was built that way, and 
it will take years of cultivation to fit him for 
the higher intellectual plane which the ‘ New 
Woman’ is now enjoying. 

“As a rule, women are more spiritual and 
have fine brains, accurately balanced. There- 
fore she arrives at her conclusions at one bound 
by that more subtle process — intuition. Reason 
is all right in its way, but it is no match for 
intuition. In short, intuition is closely con- 
nected with the spirit. You can speak of it 
but you can not explain it.” 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


39 


“ Miss Sorosis Blackstone, you have done 
nobly. Your knowledge of things seems to be 
so vast that I would like to ask something about 
art which has puzzled me for years,” said the 
Prince, hesitatingly. 

“Go ahead, Prince, I am right at home on 
art. You see I belong to New York,” replied 
Miss Blackstone, encouragingly. 

“ You have seen, no doubt, that famous pic- 
ture — Angelus,. by Millet. Do you call it a good 
picture?” 

“ I call it one of the master-works in all art. 
It sold, if I remember aright, for more money 
than any picture. There is nothing like it. It 
is a pity this country did not keep it. France 
has it now, but what thousands were paid for it 
— over one hundred thousand dollars. That is 
another case of the short-sightedness of men in 
this country.” 

“ That is all true, but what is bothering me 
is this — what constitutes a first-class picture ?” 

“ That is easy enough to answer — proper con- 
ception, touch, and finish.” 

“Can any one be able to tell a good picture, 
then?” asked the Prince. 

“Any one who is posted in art.” 


40 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


“ But you are aware, Miss Blackstone, that 
when the famous artist painted it, he placed it 
in the window of his studio and offered it for 
sale at a very small price. He could not sell it, 
and it has been doubted if he could have given 
it away. Yet, after years have passed, the color- 
ings faded, and the whole picture not as good 
as it was when the artist himself placed but 
little value on it, the picture was sold for 
thousands of dollars. Who was the better judge 
of the picture, the artist or the man who paid 
the thousands?” 

“You see the artists in those days were poor 
in worldly goods and they had to take what 
they could obtain for their work, whether the 
picture were good or bad. Besides there were 
not as many rich persons then as there are 
here. I have spent thousands of dollars for 
pictures which I would not have done if I were 
not very wealthy. These things should be 
taken into consideration in making up your 
mind,” answered Miss Blackstone as she invited 
the Prince to take a seat on the divan. 

“It is right and proper for me to take such 
things into consideration, and I shall do so. 
What do you think of the conception of the 
Angelus ?’ ” 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


41 


“ The conception is perfect. It is just lovely. 
There is one fault, however, I must confess. 
They courted and loved in the old way, but 
we can overlook that, as we know a better way. 
Do you think, Prince, a woman of the present 
day could paint it as well as that great artist 
did?” 

“ Now, to be honest with you, I do,” said the 
Prince, “and furthermore, I believe that if a 
woman with your ideas and attainments had 
been the artist the picture would have had a 
finer conception, and a softer touch would have 
given to the cheeks a brighter glow.” 

“You flatter me, Prince, still I thank you for 
the compliment,” replied Miss Blackstone, as 
she, blushing, edged closer to him. 

“ I cannot but express my admiration when 
you have regaled me with so many facts — so 
many apt illustrations.” 

As the Prince spoke these words with great 
emotion his eyes looked up to hers as if to say 
that he was longing to nestle in her protecting 
arms and admit that his heart was won by the 
force of cold facts. She did not encourage 
him, but looked pityingly at him and then 
said : ^ — 


42 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


“Which do you, Prince, admire most in 
women — form, a beautiful face, or intellect ?” 

“I don’t like to tell,” said the Prince shyly 
as he covered his face with his hands. 

“ Oh, do tell,” said Miss Blackstone, encour- 
agingly. 

“ Intellect, first, last and all the time,” an- 
swered the Prince, bracing up. 

“ Eeally, do you ? ” 

“Ido.” 

“ Now, tell me what about me has pleased 
you most and excited vour admiration ? ” asked 
Miss Blackstone, as she watched his bosom 
heave with suppressed emotion. 

There was a long pause. Meekly he sat 
there on the divan in the shadow of the bronze 
statue of the Goddess of Liberty. His lips 
quivered and his eyes filled with tears of 
love, and then, in an almost inaudible voice, 
answered : 

“Your intellect.” 

“You love me then for the preponderance of 
my intellect and spurn a beautiful face and a 
symmetrical figure like poison?” 

“ That’s it exactly. My flow of language is 
as mud compared to your lucid loquacity.” 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


43 


“ Tlien come to my bosom, deary,” she said, 
with outstretched arms toward him. 

He came. 

She covered his face with kisses, until he al- 
most gasped for breath. Then, looking down 
into his weeping eyes, she read the secret of 
his throbbing heart. She held him tenderly in 
her arms, and, smoothing the hair from his 
pale brow, asked : 

“ Will you be my devoted husband, rain or 
shine ? ” 

With a beaming, upturned face to hers, he 
softly whispered “yes.” 


CHAPTER VI. 


love’s labor lost. 

Miss Sorosis Blackstone was now the hap- 
piest woman in Newport. She had vanquished 
all her rivals — and if that don’t make a woman 
happy, then she would not be happy under any 
circumstances. 

She was positive that she had demonstrated 
to the public mind the supposed fact that when 
beauty and intellect are pitted against each 
other, the sensible man will always put his 
money and heart on intellect. 

She was perfectly aware, however, that in her 
case she had only secured the Prince’s heart, 
for he did not have money. But, being some- 
what of a philanthropist, she made up her 
mind to help the Prince out at the proper time 
by furnishing the money herself. The Prince 
had no objection — Princes seldom do — provided 
there is enough of money. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


45 


But would there be enough to satisfy him ? 

In his eagerness to marry the richest lady he 
did not exhibit that shrewd business tact which 
characterizes a more experienced heiress-hunt- 
ing foreigner. However, he was young and 
could learn. 

Still he may have been deterred from having 
a definite understanding before the engagement 
from the fact that Miss Blackstone was a supe- 
rior lady — schooled in all the advanced femi- 
nine ideas of the day. But if there is not a 
definite understanding on this important finan- 
cial question, Love’s labor is often lost. 

Cupid is getting to be almost a failure. He 
is a genius in his way. He can arouse the 
tender passions, and get young hearts together, 
and, sometimes, old ones too ; but he does not 
know the first thing about the financial side of 
love. In fact, he does not know that there is a 
financial side. He never improves, but adheres 
to the old ways, and will soon be a back number. 
A few more years and he will be out of a job. 

To properly broach this all-important subject 
to his fiancee was a very delicate undertaking — 
an undertaking that has, from time immemorial, 
caused men to lie awake at night to devise a 


46 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


plan to secure the money with the least amount 
of friction. 

He found that he had more to contend with 
than the average man. He had the “New 
Woman,” with all the attendant evils that that 
implies, to overcome before he could reach the 
cash. She had manipulated conventions, made 
speeches on many subjects, and held elective 
offices. But after she inherited riches, she be- 
came an art-critic, a society lady, etc. 

What did the Prince know about such things ? 
Still he must have an agreement as to his yearly 
allowance before the marriage could take 
place. The Prince had tried hard to keep the 
marriage engagement from the public until 
some kind of a settlement was completed, but 
he had failed. Now, in order to know just what 
to demand for a yearly allowance ifc would be 
absolutely necessary to know how much his 
fiancee was worth. 

How could this be ascertained ? 

By inquiring among his most intimate friends 
— the gilded youths. They told him to go ahead 
and get married at once, for she was beyond 
doubt very wealthy, and that if he hesitated too 
long she might change her mind. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


47 


“But how much is she worth?” asked the 
Prince, earnestly. 

“ Millions ! ” came a chorus of voices. 

“ How do you know that? ” 

“ Don’t the papers say that she is the wealth- 
iest woman in Newport ? The papers know 
every thing,” answered one of the youths, 
quickly. 

The Prince was sorely distressed because he 
could not or had not found out how many mill- 
ions Miss Blackstone possessed. He saw that 
it was very poor policy for him to discuss such 
a delicate question even before his most inti- 
mate friends, lest some one might be the means 
of informing the lady of his indiscreet actions. 
So he called on one of his friends, whom he was 
sure he could trust, to one side, and told him 
the predicament that he was in, and that he 
wanted the best advice to be given. He was 
also short of ready money and a successful 
scheme that would not only secure his future 
needs, but his present wants, would be thank- 
fully entertained and rewarded. He admitted 
that he had but little experience in money mat- 
ters and was almost practically at the mercy of 
even a womam He saw where he had made the 


48 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


mistake at tlie start — a mistake he would never 
commit again. 

This confidential friend was an attentive lis- 
tener, as he twirled a Whangee cane, and then 
said : 

“ There is but one way out of your difficulty. 
Go to your fiancee and tell her that it is cus- 
tomary in Italy and all monarchical govern- 
ments for the lady to state exactly how much 
she would allow her husband each year as 
spending money.” 

“ But how much do you think she should al- 
low me per year if she is worth millions?” 
asked the Prince. 

“ That depends greatly how her millions are 
invested. If they are in bonds or in mortgages 
which bear interest at a stated rate, it would be 
very easy to determine the amount that would 
be just and proper for you. But if the mill- 
ions are in such a shape that the income is 
small or very irregular it would be very diffi- 
cult to set a proper estimate. If I were you I 
would not hesitate to broach the subject to her 
on the lines that I have mapped out.” 

“ But you see,” said the Prince, “if I knew 
just how her millions are invested I would be 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


49 


in better trim to discuss intelligently my rights, 
and cite cogent reasons why she should do so 
and so. She is a very shrewd woman and I an- 
ticipate that she will want to limit me to only a 
few thousands a year. That won’t do, for I 
came over here, not for my health, but for — 
you know.” 

“ Boodle,” chipped in the Prince’s friend, 
laughing. 

“ But could I not,” continued the Prince, ig- 
noring the interruption, “ find out what I de- 
sire by seeing some of the newspaper men on 
the paper in which there appeared from time to 
time such flattering accounts of her and her 
millions ?” 

“ They would not tell you if they knew all 
about it. But I do not think she is worth as 
much as the common rumor says she is.” 

“ What makes you think so ? You don’t 
think the papers exaggerate, do you ?” asked 
the Prince. 

“ I will tell you something if you promise 
me that you will not tell it to any one. It 
might not only do me injury, but the person 
who informed me. Do you promise me as a 
man ?” 

“ I promise ; I swear,” said the Prince. 


60 SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 

“ There is no doubt about the lady being 
wealthy, but some of those flattering notices in 
the newspaper were paid advertisements. ” 

“What’s that?” exclaimed the Prince. 

“ Paid advertisements — puffs !” 

“Pm swindled!” ejaculated the Prince, al- 
most in despair. 

“ Don’t get excited, Prince. She’s all right. 
Possibly I should not have told you this, but 
as long as you were so anxious to know the lay 
of the ground before you presented your "Bill 
of Grievances ’ to your lady-love, I thought it 
would cause you not to petition her for too 
large a sum. Don’t get melancholy. Go and 
do as I have suggested and you need have no 
fears of going hungry. Keep cool and you 
will come out a winner.” 

The Prince thanked his confidential friend 
for the advice and declared that he would fol- 
low every detail as marked out for him. But 
try as he might to be happy as he received the 
congratulations of his friends upon his lucky 
engagement, he failed. 

He would bow, smile and thank them for 
their compliments, but through his mind all the 
time would be running, “ advertisements, paid 
advertisements — puffs. ’ ’ 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


51 


When alone he was the picture of gloom ? 
but when evening came he walked over to his 
fiancee to have a quiet little chat on the subject 
which was most dear to his heart. 

As she waited at the door to welcome him 
she was all smiles. She threw her arms around 
the Prince and both kissed repeatedly with such 
fervor that it was really surprising. But then 
the emotions of the heart are so peculiar, so 
changing, that it is a veritable puzzle to those 
who do not contemplate matrimony. They 
walked into the parlor and, when dinner was 
ready, partook of a good meal, after which 
they went, as usual, to the library. 

The Prince looked happy and contented ; but 
whether it was the result of the magnetic in- 
fluence of kissing, or whether it was caused by 
the nutritious meal, there will always be a 
doubt. Possibly both had something to do in 
dispelling the melancholy which had for days 
made him miserable. 

“You seem so happy, so lovely to-night,” re- 
marked Miss Blackstone, as she pinned a bou- 
quet to the lapel of his coat. 

“ In my dreams and in my hours awake you 
appear to me all that is true and noble. It is 


52 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


the communion of two souls like ours that pro- 
duce genuine happiness. Deception, I am sure, 
can never find a foot-hold in our hearts,” said 
the Prince. 

“Never, dear Prince; I despise deception.” 

“I do too.” 

“Where true love reigns it can never enter.” 
said Miss Blackstone, emphatically. 

“Indeed it can’t. Our lives are full of love.” 

“Yes; and there is no deception, Prince.” 

“None, whatever.” 

There was a long pause that was somewhat 
oppressive, then the Prince said : 

“ In Italy the women are now and then de- 
ceiving, but they have many good qualities. 
When a woman marries a man of high degree 
she always, if she is wealthy, gives her husband 
a large amount of money each year as a settled 
allowance. She is very generous that way; but 
no more so, and probably not as much, as any 
wealthy American lady would do under similar 
circumstances. The amount is always agreed 
upon when they become engaged.’ 

There was another pause. 

“In this country,” said Miss Blackstone, after 
she collected her thoughts, “ such an insignifi- 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


53 


cant courtesy is left till after the marriage 
ceremony.” 

“We don’t call it an insignificant courtesy in 
Italy.” 

“What do you call it?” 

“Business.” 

“And is it always attended to before mar- 
riage? ” asked Miss Blackstone, nervously. 

“Always ; and they are very generous in their 
allowances. You see my rank is such that I desire 
to follow the time-honored monarchical customs. 
It is proper and it is wise.” 

“About how much is usually allowed?” 

“That depends entirely upon how wealthy 
the lady is. If you see fit to tell me the wealth, 
I can tell the allowance.” 

“Well, as near as I can tell, about one half of 
a million,” replied Miss Blackstone, with some 
hesitation. 

“Are you certain that is all ? ” 

“ It will not be over one-half a million. It 
might not be quite so much.” 

The Prince looked out of the window, 
frowned,* and pulled his mustache. Then, 
without looking toward her, he, in a firm voice, 
said : 


64 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


‘‘Nothing short of fifty thousand dollars per 
year will answer.” 

“ But I can’t grant such a large amount. If 
I had millions it would be different.” 

“ Did not the papers say many times that 
you were worth millions ? ” 

“ I don’t just re they may have. They 

say so many things,” answered Miss Black- 
stone, and her lips quivered visibly for the first 
time. 

“ You have deceived me. You paid for those 
articles in ” 

The Prince, remembering his promise to his 
friend, did not finish the sentence. 

“Oh, Prince; how cruel!” cried Miss Black- 
stone, giving way to her feelings and covering 
her face with her hands. 

“ The engagement has not been formally an- 
nounced, and I now declare to you that the en- 
gagement is off. You must not bother me and 
I will not you.” 

The Prince arose and walked to the door, 
followed by Miss Blackstone, whose sobbing 
had now given way to anger, and her blue eyes 
glistening through undried tears. 

“Prince,” she exclaimed, as she pointed her 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


55 


manicured index finger at him, “you have 
trifled with my affections ! I will sue you for 
breach of promise. All you want is my money.” 

“All you want is my title. You can have it 
for fifty thousand dollars per year. You can’t 
raise that amount. The engagement is off.” 
and he closed the door in her face. 


CHAPTEK YIX. 


SCHEMING. 

When the Prince closed the door in the face 
of Miss Sorosis Blackstone she was mad ; and 
when a strong-minded woman gets mad she’s 
mad all over. Miss Blackstone was very 
strong-minded. She was also very emotional. 

Outbursts of lamentation and fits of anger 
followed each other in rapid succession. When 
bowed down by melancholy she went into her 
bed-room to weep ; but when aroused by anger 
she rushed into the library to declaim against 
the depravity of men — foreign and domestic. 

The next morning, after the French maid had 
prepared her toilet for her, she started down 
town ; and, if loud tapping of her high-heeled 
shoes on a hard sidewalk indicated anything, 
she was in an angry mood. 

She entered the office of Mr. H— , a noted 
lawyer ; and, being ushered into his private 
consultation-room, said : 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


57 


“ Mr. H , I came down here to authorize 

you to begin at once a breach of promise suit 
against that consummate fraud — Prince Co- 
lombo.” 

“ Really, Miss Blackstone, it has not come to 
this ? I was of the opinion, from what the 
people said, that you would soon be a Princess,” 
said the lawyer in great surprise. 

‘ By rights I should be a Princess, but it has 
come to this. He has trifled with my affections 
and I must have redress.” 

“Were you really engaged to be married?” 

“Indeed we were, but as you know, it had not 
been formally announced. He kept postponing 
the date until he finally refused to fulfill his 
promise.” 

“You have no other charges to make against 
him but a breach of promise?” 

“That is all.” 

“Don’t you think, if it were properly man- 
aged, that the Prince would retrace his false 
step and renew his vows?” 

“I would not believe him under oath, and I 
will never marry that man — never! ” 

“But think of his social position and high 
title,” suggested the lawyer, blandly. 


58 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


“Why, Mr. H , I would not marry the 

Prince now, if he had a title as high as the 
Washington Monument. When I give a man 
my love, and he violates his promise, I make it 
my business to see to it that he is severely 
punished.” 

“How much damages do you want for your 
wounded feelings?” 

“Well, this being ray first love-affair, I will 
not take a cent less than fifty thousand dollars.” 

“ It will greatly embarrass the Prince to pay 
that amount,” said the lawyer, gravely. 

“That is just what I want. Pile it on thick 
— more embarrassment the better.” 

“ Are you not aware that the Prince is prac- 
tically a well, a bankrupt ? ” 

“ He surely owns something ? ” 

“Nothing but his debts and title ; and there 
is no law compelling him to pay money when 
he has not got it. Besides he is a foreigner of 
some influence.” 

“ Is there no justice in this country ? No law 
to protect down-trodden woman ? ” 

“ I will go ahead,” said the lawyer, “ and 
make it as disagreeable as possible for him ; 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


69 


but it will be out of the question to get any 
money from him.” 

“ Is that the best you can do ? ” 

“ It is.” 

“ Then you need not go on with the suit,” 
said Miss Blackstone, rising to go ; “ but if we 
women ever get the right to vote we’ll fix these 
foreigners who come over and lacerate our 
affections. I have a notion to publicly horse- 
whip him.” 

“ But there is no law for that,” said the 
lawyer. 

“ What, no law for that, either? This coun- 
try is getting more tyrannical every day. But 
when we women get in power we’ll pass a law 
before breakfast permitting any woman to horse- 
whip a man. Good-day,” and Miss Blackstone 
returned to her villa in a worse temper than 
when she left it. 

Miss Blackstone was a high-spirited woman, 
and, remembering that she had time and again 
tantalized her rivals, she commenced to realize 
what to expect in return, now that she had 
failed to capture the Prince. There wa3 one 
J;ongue that she especially feared. 

The most hated competitor for the title of 


60 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


Princess was a highly educated lady, young ? 
beautiful and wealthy, but whose sarcastic 
tongue had been used quite often of late to ad- 
vantage in describing the eccentricities of a 
wealthy woman of uncertain age and a young 
man, who were trying to form a binding con- 
tract called, sometimes, marriage. Would that 
tongue be merciful now ? She had no hope 
that it would. 

Before Miss Blackstone’s “ disappointment 
in love ” she was haughty and did not care for 
the opinions of her critics ; but now, crest-fallen, 
she was as sensitive as if she wore her nerves 
on the outside of her flesh. To remain in New- 
port and enjoy the gay life was impossible ; for 
it meant that wherever she went — to the the- 
atre, to the ball, or on the promenade — she 
would be pointed out as the Prince’s “old 
flame.” 

She thought it over and then exclaimed in 
disgust : 

“ No ; I have suffered enough already. I 
shall close my villa and depart to more con- 
genial scenes.” 

Shortly afterward she disappeared from New- 
port where her contest for monarchical honors 


SHOULD WOMEN YOTE ? 


61 


had proven such a failure. She returned to 
New York City and was consoled by the mem- 
bers of a noted woman’s club. 

The rumor that there had been a love-spat, 
and her sudden disappearance without any 
explanation, was considered by the public as 
conclusive proof that the engagement was off. 

What a fine subject it afforded the society 
ladies to talk about ! In fact, all Newport 
engaged in an animated discussion as to who 
was to blame. The more pious said that it was 
a sin for a loving couple like Prince Colombo 
and Miss Blackstone to allow a slight misunder- 
standing to interfere with their plighted vows, 
and that punishment in some form would surely 
follow. But the public was in the dark as to 
the exact cause of the disagreement. 

As Miss Blackstone had departed without 
even making a public charge of a breach of 
promise against the Prince, and as there was 
no one qualified, or felt disposed, to champion 
her cause, she was generally condemned by the 
society ladies as being too independent. They 
said the Prince was to be pitied. 

It is singular how a disappointment that will 
drive one person away from a place will cause 


62 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


another to remain. The Prince was not dis- 
couraged. As his debts increased his belief 
increased that it was necessary for him to 
marry rich. Necessity is said to be the mother 
of invention. 

The Prince must have thought so, for he and 
his confidential friend labored constantly to 
cause the public to be impressed with the story 
that there had not been an engagement, and 
that Miss Blackstone started the rumor that 
there was an engagement for the sole purpose 
of tantalizing her numerous rivals. This had 
the desired effect. The society ladies flocked 
around the Prince more than ever, and he saw 
that he was again the master of the situation. 

But experience had taught him to be more 
cautious and not to get engaged until he was 
certain that the lady was all that she pretended 
to be, especially in a financial way. He was 
very pronounced on this subject to his confi- 
dential friend, whom he authorized to look after 
his interest in a quiet way ; and said that he 
would overlook most any defect in her social 
standing, but that he could not conscientiously 
marry a woman who was not financially solid. 
He proposed to know a little something about 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


her pedigree and every thing about her finances, 
if it required a year to do so. 

He explained to his friend the reason why he 
demanded fifty thousand dollars for a settle- 
ment by saying that he knew Miss Blackstone 
w T as very anxious to marry him, although she 
pretended at times to be very indifferent as to 
the final outcome of the courtship ; and that if 
he had asked only a reasonable amount she 
would have complied at once and considered it 
a good bargain. Pie thus tested her love and 
avoided a blunder. If she could have seen her 
way clear she would have paid the fifty thou- 
sand dollars a year and called it a little bit 
high. The Prince actually pitied her for being 
so poor. 

Now, as one million dollars was the smallest 
amount that a woman could have and win his 
noble love, it w r ould have made both very un- 
happy in getting married. He would have 
received only half enough of money, and she 
only half enough of love. 

The million-dollar limit was, therefore, not 
only a blessing in disguise to both, but it made 
a golden opportunity for some other ambitious 
American lady to step up, put down the neces- 


64 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


sary cash, and walk away with the Prince, 
rejoicing. 

But, hereafter, the Prince intended to be in 
no hurry, make no more blunders, and play a 
sure game for a million. 



CHAPTER VIII. 


A WANDERER. 

About a year before the raising of the Bear 
Flag in California an American trading vessel 
came into port and anchored in the beautiful 
bay of Monterey, one hundred miles south of 
the Golden Gate. Her destination was farther 
north, where the Siwash Indians came to trade 
along the Columbia River ; but as she was in a 
disabled condition, owing to the stormy voyage 
from New York City, the Captain desired to 
avail himself of the repairing facilities afforded 
in the City of Monterey, the then capital of 
California. 

The ship’s crew were kept busy for over a 
week in overhauling and making the vessel sea- 
worthy. When every thing was about ready 
for the continuation of the voyage, two sailors 
asked and obtained permission from the Cap- 
tain to visit the famous San Carlos Borromeo 


66 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


del Carmelo de Monterey, which was founded 
June 3d, 1770, by the noted mission padre, 
Junipero Serra. On hiring a Mexican, Eracho 
Lorenzo, as guide, they visited the old mis- 
sion, viewing with delight the quaint structure, 
faded paintings and broken images of Christ. 
The gate to the altar had been torn down or 
the hinges had been worn out ; the sanctuary, 
which showed traces of its former grandeur, 
was now a home for bats ; and the whole build- 
ing, including the adobe wall which encircled it, 
was falling to decay. 

But what a motley crowd of worshipers 
kept coming and going ! The sailors, with un- 
covered heads, looked on in bewilderment. 
The crowd was composed principally of women, 
who jostled each other as they moved forward 
and knelt on the earthen floor to pray in silence 
before the crucifix. On rising they passed out 
and went their way. 

An old Mexican woman was particularly no- 
ticeable, as she came tottering into the church 
unaided by any one. Her wrinkled face, bent 
form and gray hairs told plainly that she was 
nearing the last mile-stone of her life. As she 
approached the altar, her accustomed place 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 67 

was vacated by the other worshipers. She 
sat down on the earthen floor, crossed herself 
without bowing her head, and commenced to 
mumble a prayer as she gazed in admiration 
upon the crucifix. She paid no attention to 
those around her, looking neither to the right 
nor left. The incoherent sounds which es- 
caped her lips arose and fell like the weird in- 
cantations of a Hawaiian priest, when trying to 
appease the Goddess of Fire, Pele, at the brink 
of the burning volcano, Kilauea. 

The common people looked upon her as one 
who possessed supernatural powers. Her repu- 
tation for curing diseases, that were considered 
beyond medical aid, and for having a foresight, 
that penetrated the future and revealed the 
successes or failures of any one, had been 
noised about for miles. Though infirm in 
body herself, she claimed to make others well ; 
though poor herself, she pretended to reveal 
treasures of untold riches to others. 

The Mexican guide for the sailors informed 
the old woman as she tottered out of the church 
that two strangers were anxious for her lo re- 
veal to each one his future life. She paused 
and surveyed the party with a critical eye, as 


68 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


if she were trying to determine their nation- 
ality, then taking a seat near-by, beckoned them 
to her with her scrawny hand. 

On receiving her pay from both in advance 
she smiled and commenced to tell each one’s 
fortune, the guide acting as interpreter. When 
she came to the last sailor her second-sight 
must have increased in strength from exercise, 
for she seemed to warm to her work and talked 
with great animation. She said : 

“ My son, you are too young to be away from 
home. You came here without a permit from 
your parents. You ran away ! What made you 
go on such a wild journey ? It was love of ad- 
venture which is implanted in the hearts of too 
many people for their good. Temptations are 
strong and you are weak — weak in resisting the 
evils of this world. Although you are thousands 
of miles from the parental influences which 
have such a beneficial effect in molding a boy 
of your age, yet be not discouraged. Your fu- 
ture is bright, with here and there a cloud 
floating between you and happiness. When 
the cloud comes it will not tarry long, but will 
roll away, leaving you light-hearted again. 

“ Your hopes and aspirations will never be 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE * 


69 


realized in the north country. All is dark up 
there. The clouds are thundering. If you 
continue the voyage in the ship, you will get 
the scurvy, and ” 

“ I have that now,” broke in the sailor boy ; 
but she continued without noticing the inter- 
ruption : 

“ And you will find a land of rain and rheu- 
matism, then more rain and more rheumatism 
and an early death. Go not there.” 

“ How about Baja ? ” asked the impulsive 
sailor, anxiously. 

“ The southern sky is red with fire. The 
stars can be seen, but the flames mount high in 
the heavens. The heat is unbearable. The 
sun above and the burning sands below con- 
sume the flesh of man and leave his bones to 
fertilize that arid land. To you it would be 
suicide to go. Baja California, is a land of 
desolation, unendurable thirst and death. Go 
not there. 

“ My son, look up the bay and you will see 
the peaks of the Santa Cruz mountains tower- 
ing high in the clouds, gathsring moisture for 
the rivers which irrigate our lands ; to the east 
the lofty Sierras loom up behind the coast- 


70 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


range which holds the sea-clouds until the rains 
insure a bountiful harvest ; to the south the 
chain of foot-hills guards the grain, fruit and 
flowers from the hot winds ; and to the west 
the ocean breeze tempers the summers’s heat, 
and makes life worth living. 

“ My son, this is the land. Stay here, as the 
signs direct, and you will die rich, otherwise 
you will live a dog’s life and die a pauper.” 

She uttered not another word, but arose, 
hobbled along a by-path and soon disappeared 
in her adobe hut, which was surrounded by an 
ocotilla fence, whose prickly surface barred out 
the intruding public. 

The sailors were amused at her strange ac- 
tion, and, instead of being satisfied at what 
they had witnessed, they were more anxious 
than ever to investigate the mode of living and 
the peculiar customs of the Mexicans. They 
were afforded every opportunity in the power 
of the guide to gratify their desires; for he 
could earn more money in a few hours in this 
way than he could in a whole week by follow- 
ing his vocation of chasing wild steers through 
the chaparral brush. 

For hours they examined with great satis- 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


71 


faction two-wheel carts made entirely of wood, 
wooden plows, dilapidated huts with low, flat 
roofs and no windows ; peculiar pottery, espe- 
cially the olla , which, by a sweating process, 
warm water placed into it is soon made cool ; 
the quaint head-gear for men and women ; and 
other crude handiwork of the Mexicans, among 
which was a bake-oven that one of the sailors 
was sure was a kennel for two half-starved 
hairless dogs near-by. 

Now, the hospitality of the Mexicans is one 
of their main characteristics, and while the 
sailors were watching an elderly woman mak- 
ing tortilla a dining-table was quietly prepared 
for three. On being asked to partake of the 
frugal meal the sailors and the guide were too 
hungry to refuse. 

Seating themselves at the table, the tortilla 
(bread) was passed around and then a dish of 
frijoles (beans), chile (red-pepper), and a little 
chopped meat made into a stew was given to 
each one by a beautiful senorita , whose mother 
had prepared the toothsome repast. 

The Mexican guide was not slow in devouring 
what was set before him, for the meal was 
rather better than he was accustomed to on the 


72 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


rancho. The young sailor-boy, being very 
hungry, succeeded in eating the bread, and 
was doing very well with what he supposed 
to be the ordinary stew, although several times 
he was very nervous and looked as if he were 
about to cry. However, he was silently encour- 
aged to finish his meal by the charming young 
lady keeping his cup filled with milk. 

The old sailor had seen a great deal of the 
world, but he had never before faced such a 
meal. There was no doubt about the victuals 
being well cooked and nutritious. There was 
no doubt that the old sailor was brave, but his 
tenacity of purpose was defective. He com- 
menced to eat the stew, then he stopped, drank 
his milk, and looked around as if he were 
uneasy. The old Mexican woman had her eyes 
on him as if she surmised that he did not like 
her cooking. 

He determined to show the old lady that he 
did like her cooking and he commenced again 
to eat, but his stomach and mouth seemed to 
be on fire. Was the “stew” too hot? He 
tried to cool it by blowing his breath on it. A 
few more swallows of it and the lachrymal 
glands overflowed his eyes with tears. He 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


73 


sneezed, arose from the table and walked out. 
When the other two had finished eating they 
passed out of the hut and saw the old sailor 
sitting on a stump of a tree near a water-ditch 
fanning his mouth with a palm-leaf. 

“ What’s the matter with you ? ” asked the 
young sailor, laughing. 

“ I’m burning up, my mouth’s all blisters and 
my stomach is boiling.” 

“ What have you been eating ? ” asked the 
guide, with a smile. 

“ Nothin’, but that Mexican Irish stew,” re- 
plied the suffering sailor as the saliva dropped 
from his mouth. 

“That wasn’t Irish stew; that was chile” 
said the Mexican guide. 

“ Chilly? If that was chilly I’d like to know 
what you call fire and brimstone ? ” 

“ I mean it was chile con came , the national 
dish of Mexico.” 

“ Why didn’t you drink more milk and avoid 
the blisters,” chipped in the young sailor. 

“ How could I, when you drank all the milk 
that was in the hut ? ” 

“ Well, why don’t you then go down to the 
ditch and give your mouth a bath and cool off? 


74 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


Don’t stand there frothing at the mouth, for 
some one will think you have been bitten by a 
mad dog ! ” 

“ I did go down to the ditch, but I was horri- 
fied by seeing about a hundred men, women 
and children bathing, and not one solitary 
stitch of clothin’ on ’em.” 

“ That’s all right. No native objects to such 
things,” suggested the guide, Lorenzo. 

“ I suppose that’s another national custom of 
Mexico.” 

“It is,” answered the guide. 

“ Well, I don’t want to be too critical ; but I 
won’t stay in a country where they feed a man 
on “ fire ” and go bathin’ with the ladies with 
out having even a fig-leaf. I’m no Christian, 

but I’ll be if Adam and Eve simplicity isn’t 

good enough for me. I’m goin’ back to the 
ship,” said the old sailor, as he arose to go. 

“ Now, look here,” said the young sailor, 
“ you’re a fine fellow to criticise the bill-of-fare 
and the ‘ livin’ pictures ’ of Mexico. You’re 
too fastidious. I don’t see how you ever be- 
came an old Jack Tar. So far as I am con- 
cerned I do not intend to go back to the ship.” 

“ I suppose you have allowed that old clair- 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


75 


voyant-liag to turn your head when she told 
you about dying rich and such nonsense. Do 
you really believe that the north is full of rain 
and rheumatism ? ” 

“ The old Mexican woman has to make her 
living some way, and that’s all right about 
rheumatism, but I will never again step my 
foot on the deck of that ship. That is a settled 
fact.” 

“What will the Captain do about it?” 

“ Swear.” 

“ Yes ; and he will hunt after you and he’ll 
probably find you eating chile con came ” 

“Let him hunt. Here I stay, come what 
will.” 

“Now, no joking, what do you want me to 
tell the Captain ? ” 

“ Tell him that I, Thomas Brandon, prefer 
chile con came to the scurvy.” 

“ I will. Good-bye.” 

“ Good-bye.” 


CHAPTER IX. 


A CALIFORNIA HOME. 

Two days after their visit to the old mission 
the ship sailed north, minus one sailor, and 
Thomas Brandon walked the streets of Mon- 
terey without any danger of molestation for 
failing to report to the Captain at the expira- 
tion of his pass. 

The few dollars that were in his pocket re- 
minded him that he was among a strange peo- 
ple in a strange land, where idleness was the 
rule and work the exception. He commenced 
to think what he could best follow for a liveli- 
hood. He had been in straitened circumstances 
before and always found a way out. In fact, 
he was inured to hardship. At an early age 
he was left an orphan, to take care of himself 
by working for farmers — some good and some 
bad — on Long Island, New York. 

Owing to his lack of knowledge of the Span- 
ish language he met with reverses in trying to 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


77 


secure work ; but finally he and Eracho Lo- 
renzo obtained employment on a cattle ranch in 
the Santa Cruz valley. Here he remained 
about a year, when one morning, in trying to 
ride a vicious broncho, the animal reared and 
fell backward. Brandon received such injuries 
as to incapacitate him for hard work or hard 
riding. 

Taking a part of his pay for his services in 
cattle and the rest in silver, he built a hut in 
the mountains of the Santa Cruz and made a 
living by fishing, hunting and trapping, which 
seemed more to his liking. When the war with 
Mexico was brewing and Great Britain schemed 
to take possession of California, there was a 
popular uprising, called the Bear Flag insur- 
rection, whose leading spirit was Gen. J ohn C. 
Fremont. 

Up to this time nothing occurred that tended 
to mar the friendship existing between Thomas 
Brandon and Eracho Lorenzo ; but when it 
was plain that war was inevitable, they could 
not remain neutral, but took sides. They 
parted friends socially, but enemies politically. 

Thomas Brandon’s love for the stars and 
stripes never wavered. He left all his posses- 


78 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


sions in the mountains and joined the insur- 
gents under General Fremont and Commodore 
Stockton, although he was hardly able to en- 
dure such a life. Eracho Lorenzo went south 
to Los Angeles and joined the forces of the 
Mexican Governor, Pio Pico. Being able to 
speak the English language fluently, Lorenzo 
was heartily welcomed by the Governor, who 
was sorely pressed for money and men to carry 
on the war. 

The 3 7 oung Mexican patriot rendered valu- 
able service to his country, and when, at last, 
it became evident to all that the stars and 
stripes would soon float over California, the 
Mexican soldiers clamored for their pay. Gov- 
ernor Pico was at his wit’s ends to determine 
what it would be proper to do to reward, in 
some way, his faithful followers. 

Money was scarce. It was impossible for 
him to pay the great majority of the soldiers. 
What could he do for his most trusted friends ? 
There was but one resource left him, and he 
availed himself of it. Large grants of lands 
were given to those who were his intimate 
friends. But this had to be done before his 
power as governor was wrested from him, in 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


79 


order to make the grants binding both in Mex- 
ican and United States law. 

Many secured grants in the last hour of Mexi- 
can rule. Eracho Lorenzo was one of the 
Governor’s favorites, and the loyal cowboy re- 
turned to the Santa Cruz Mountains the owner 
of thousands of acres of land, where he had 
herded cattle, including the ground on which 
Thomas Brandon had his hut. 

Shortly after the restoration of peace, Thomas 
Brandon returned to his mountain home, only 
to find his friend, Lorenzo, in full possession. 

“ I thought you were dead,” said Lorenzo, 
laughing, as he extended his hand at the ap- 
proach of his friend ; “ but come in and take a 
seat at the table. Dinner is ready.” 

“No one is more welcome to make his home 
in my house than you,” answered Brandon; 
“although we fought on different sides. We 
did not allow our convictions to alienate our 
friendship for each other.” 

“ It is true that you own the log house, but I 
own the land for miles around. Read this,” 
said Lorenzo, as he handed Brandon a paper. 

Brandon perused the paper critically, and 
then, looking up } said : 


80 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


“Well, isn’t war peculiar? You lost what 
you fought for and came out rich. I won what 
I fought for and came out poor.” 

“Fate decreed that the Mexican government 
in California should go down in defeat,” said 
Lorenzo; “ but hereafter your flag is my flag.” 

In harmony they lived an easy life in the hut 
for years, tending a few cattle and hunting wild 
game. Then came another excitement to dis- 
turb their quiet neighborhood. The gold fever, ' 
like a contagious disease, spread from the val- 
lies to the highest mountain peaks. Eanches 
were left idle or sold for a song. Men went 
wild. Brandon, however, had no desire to try 
his luck in playing a lottery game with mother 
earth ; probably on account of not being able 
to perform hard labor and also on account of 
the constant exposure to all kinds of hardship 
which he would have to endure. 

Eracho Lorenzo caught the fever and off he 
went to the mines. At first Fortune smiled, 
and then frowned on him, and he traversed the 
Pacific Coast from Baja California on the south 
to British Columbia on the north Miner-like, 
he was often stranded, but always hopeful. 
When necessity demanded financial assistance 


SHOULD WOMEN YOTE ? 81 

« 

he wrote to Brandon for several hundred dol- 
lars to develop some new gold mine with a 
high-sounding name, which often proved to be 
only a hole in the ground. Then off to another 
camp, or he would come home to rest and get 
more money. 

Brandon never refused him a loan, for the 
mines afforded a splendid market for every 
thing he had to sell. Brandon was doing well ; 
but business is business. A mortgage was 
placed on the Lorenzo grant in favor of Bran- 
don for money loaned and taxes paid. Loren- 
zo again returned to the mines to see if he 
could “ strike it rich.” Several years after- 
ward, in a dispute over a mining claim, he was 
killed. 

In settling up his estate it was found to be 
heavily encumbered. Although there were 
thousands of acres of mountain and valley 
land, yet the valuation was low at this time, for 
it w r as not until the advent of railroads that the 
land commenced to advance in price. The 
Lorenzo land grant was sold at auction, and 
Thomas Brandon became the sole owner. 

By acquiring this land it did not create in 
him any ambition for improvement. He jogged 


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along in his easy way, trapping, hunting, and 
stock-raising. But notoriety was thrust upon 
him. He had killed more bears than any man 
in that part of California, and — owing to his 
persistency in wearing a coon-skin cap — he was 
known for miles as “ Brandon, the coon-hunter.” 

He prided himself on his profession, as he 
called it, and he decorated his hut on the out- 
side with all kinds of skins to make his calling 
more apparent to the passer-by. Although his 
hair was turning gray, he had never tried to 
decorate the inside, thinking, perhaps, that it 
was not needed, unless one is married. 

It is a singular coincidence that, with all his 
loneliness and wealth, he never thought of mat- 
rimony until he had a fight with a grizzly bear 
and won. Perhaps such encounters would en- 
courage other men to do likewise. 

He was terribly injured, however, and it was 
necessary to convey him to San Jose for medi- 
cal treatment. When convalescent, he wooed 
and won a lady who helped to nurse him. She 
was an old maid — not one of the nagging and 
cantankerous variety, but a kind, true and lov- 
able woman — Mary Gilroy, by name. 

Both had been reared in poverty, and had 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


83 


lived long in California; both received wliat 
education, they enjoyed in the school of the 
world, as they worked for a living. They 
loved their native land above all others. Their 
genealogy was somewhat obscure. So far as 
they knew, not a drop of aristocratic blood 
flowed in their veins, and of famous ancestors 
they could not boast. 

Strange as it may appear, they did not even 
claim that a very distant relative came over on 
the memorable Mayflower, nor did they try to 
trace their lineage back to the cavaliers of Vir- 
ginia. The probabilities are, judging from the 
numerous families in America who trace their 
ancestors back to Plymouth Rock and James- 
town, the ancestors of the Brandons and Gil- 
roys avoided the rush on the first ships that 
came over, by waiting in the old country a few 
years longer, and then took a steerage passage 
on a vessel which landed at a more cosmopoli- 
tan place, called Castle Garden. 

Thomas Brandon and his wife were contented 
in the fact that their ancestors, so far as their 
knowledge extended, were honest, industrious 
and law-abiding ; and with these virtues form- 
ing the cardinal principle s of their lives, they, 


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SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


in their mountain home, cared nothing more 
about their pedigrees. 

The upbuilding of a beautiful and happy 
home was the uppermost thought in their 
minds. To them married life was a success. 
Men were hired to work on the large estate, 
and as years passed hundreds of acres were 
put under cultivation. Mexican cowboys, wear- 
ing broad sombreros, rode constantly over the 
range on fleet-footed bronchos, caring for the 
herds of cattle; and life and prosperity were 
seen on every hand. 

A commodious frame house, built of red- 
wood, was erected and furnished neatly, so that 
his wife and himself might enjoy some of the 
luxuries that had been denied them in their 
youth. A large blue-grass yard, with beds of 
flowers, clumps of shrubbery, ilex and mem- 
brillo trees here, walnut and palm there, and a 
small artificial lake, where ousels came to 
bathe, formed a park-like view in front of their 
vine-covered house. In the rear of the build- 
ing and up and down the roadway, tall eucalyp- 
tus trees cast their soothing shade. Whether 
in winter or summer, when the days are warm, 
the piped water from the gushing spring on the 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


85 


mountain-side gleefully sets the fountains play- 
ing in the yard to quench the thirst of the grass 
and flowers. Often the wife sat rocking in her 
easy chair on the portico, while the canary 
bird, looking out of its cage upon the rosy lawn, 
filled the cooling air with its happiest song. 
This transformation marked the epoch of their 
married life. 

Across the way, just outside of the yard, 
stands the old log-hut, bedecked with the 
trophies of the hunt. Near the doorway a 
large black bear paced up and down the full 
length of its chain, awaiting to be fed by its 
master, who has not discarded his coon-skin 
cap or ceased to follow the trail for game. 
Hunting, the hunter declares, is his occupation ; 
farming and stock-raising only a secondary 
consideration, which is left to a competent 
foreman to see that the work is successfully 
performed on the ranch. Whatever else may 
be torn down the hut must stand to keep fresh 
the memories of the old pioneer days. 

While thus quietly living in the Santa Cruz 
Mountains, amid pleasant surroundings, their 
married life was blessed by twins — a boy and 
a girl. 


CHAPTEB X. 


CHILDHOOD. 

Thomas Brandon had advanced slowly from 
poverty to affluence, from a bachelor to a hus- 
band, and now he was a father. He was proud 
of his record. He was the happiest man in 
California, and the responsibility of a parent 
that now rested on him was borne with a dig- 
nity and a smiling countenance which seemed 
to indicate that he had reached the goal of his 
ambition. 

Many enjoyed his hospitality, and even the 
poor of the neighborhood received presents 
from his vineyard and orchard. It was the 
sturdy pioneer’s way of rejoicing over the first- 
born. The twins were named Arnold and Bes- 
sie, and more robust and healthy children it 
would be exceedingly difficult to find. 

To him it was a pleasure to watch over and 
care for them in their tender years, to prepare 
for their education when they arrived at the 


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87 


proper age, and to lay up enough of earthly 
treasures to secure the future of his family 
from want. He thought over all these paternal 
duties, but he did not worry. The future was 
* bright. He was not a rash speculator, or a 
spendthrift, but a cool, calculating old hunter 
who put his faith in land, knowing that it 
could neither burn up nor blow away. 

The Lorenzo land grant, which had been 
secured for a few cents per acre, was now 
worth many dollars per acre, owing to the re- 
cent completion of a continental railroad, which 
carried to the eastern cities the products of the 
saw T -mill, the ranch and the orchard ; while 
sailing vessels and steamers plied between the 
Pacific coast and the markets of the world. A 
coast railroad line had passed across his land, 
causing towns and cities to spring up. Immi- 
gration, which heretofore had been slow and 
transitory, consisted now of desirable classes. 
The valleys and foot-hills were settled by an 
enterprising and prosperous people. 

As years rolled by more railroads were built 
and better facilities were afforded the tillers of 
the soil. California experienced a “ boom,” 
not of gold, but of real estate, which caused 


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SHOULD WOMEN TOTE ? 


the price of land for town, agricultural and 
horticultural purposes to increase to such a 
figure that Thomas Brandon found himself a 
multi-millionaire. 

His great increase of wealth made no per- 
ceptible change in him, although many of his 
neighbors, who were less wealthy, moved to 
the cities to enjoy life. 

When Bessie arrived at the age'of twelve she 
had such a habit of hunting with her father 
that he bought her a gun, and so proficient 
did she become that she was soon famous as 
the fair “ Huntress of the Santa Cruz.” Her 
trusty rifle and unerring aim had caused the 
death of several black bears and one grizzly 
before a year. Small game she killed with- 
out number. On foot or on horseback she shot 
the California quail with equal ease ; and 
bagged the snipe and grouse, or angled the 
frisky speckled trout at her own sweet will. 
Climbing the mountains or crossing the streams 
was to her only healthy exercise. She often 
challenged her brother to compete in riding 
wild bronchos or to throw a lasso ; but to all 
such challenges Arnold would tease her by 
calling her a tom-boy. Whether in school or 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 8y 

at play the self-same spirit made her a leader. 

“ I think,” said Mrs. Brandon to her husband 
one day while the children were out in the yard 
playing tennis, “that we had better send them to 
school in San Jose, where they will be better 
prepared for college. It has been my desire 
that they should receive the best education 
that we can give them. Although Bessie revels 
in outdoor life, yet she stands first in her class 
at school. She is a natural musician, so her 
teacher informed me, and the few lessons that 
she has taken on the organ proves that she is 
an apt scholar. What do you think?” 

“ Mary, you know that your will is my will. 
I, too, desire to have our children well edu- 
cated. But will a higher education increase 
their patriotism — cause them to love more 
than ever their native land and its institu- 
tions ?” 

“ Of course it will. Besides our children 
have been reared in the Santa Cruz and moun- 
taineers are always loyal. Wealth may some- 
times cause children to disown their birth-place, 
but education never will. You know how Bes- 
sie loves to recite patriotic pieces at school, and 
go roaming with you in the forest-covered 


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SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


mountains. She could never cease to love us 
and lier native land — never ! ” 

“ Bessie and Arnold are sunshine to us now. 
I hope they will be so when we are feeble with 
age. I trust that a fine education will not 
cause our children to forget their less accom- 
plished parents or excite in them a desire to 
hide their humble birth.” and the old hunter 
gazed out of the window as if he received a sad 
premonition. 

“Our children’s love for us is stronger as 
they grow older, and I wish to see them grad- 
uated from the best college in the land.” 

“ If they keep their health,” said Mr. Bran- 
don, “ your wish will come true.” 

“ It will be years before that day,” said his 
wife with a sigh ; “ but what a pleasure it will 
be to see our children receive college honors.” 

“ Wouldn’t I attract attention ! Wouldn’t 
you feel proud to see some dandy point me out 
at your side and say : “ Who’s that old codger 
with a coon-skin cap ? ” and Mr. Brandon 
laughed heartily at the thought. 

“But you could wear a tailor-made suit 
and a silk hat,” suggested Mrs. Brandon. 

, “ A silk hat ! Good gracious, Mary, you’re 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


91 


dreamin’. A silk hat would make me dizzy for 
a month and the good people would think 
your hubby had been drinkin’ somethin’ sorter 
strong.” 

“ You could buy the hat now and commence 
practicing. But how foolish it is for us to 
think of such things so far in the future.” 

“ Mary, nothin’ is more refreshin’ to old peo- 
ple than to build air-castles, just as children 
do. I have built ’em all my life, and intend to 
until I die. It’s a pleasant recreation for the 
mind,” and they arose to call the children, as 
the gong sounded for the evening meal. 

A few months after this conversation Arnold 
and Bessie went to school in San Jose ; but 
nearly every Friday evening they came home 
to stay until Monday morning, when they re- 
turned. In this way their love for the family 
circle grew apace instead of diminishing, and 
Bessie continued her outdoor amusements with 
the same zest as before. 

Picnic, fishing and hunting parties from the 
schools were often piloted by Arnold and Bes- 
sie to the Big Trees of the Santa Cruz and the 
adjacent country, for they were thoroughly ac- 
quainted with every acre of land for miles. At 


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SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


other times a “ sociable ” would be announced 
at the Brandon mansion, where friends from the 
city and country congregated to spend many a 
happy evening, Thus their school years were 
spent. Being well advanced in their studies on 
entering the school they graduated a year in 
advance of the usual time. 

Bessie’s essay on “ Patriotism,” delivered on 
the Commencement Day, was pronounced by 
the critics to be the best one ; and she received 
great praise, not only from the professors but 
from her many friends. When the old hunter 
saw the essay printed in one of the city papers 
he read it over and then, throwing his coon- 
skin cap on the floor, exclaimed : 

“ Mary, that is the best article that I ever 
read. It has the right ring to it, and I do wish 
we had a house full of Bessies ! ” 

“I told you, Thomas,” said his wife, with 
great pride, “that education does not make 
women forget their native land. Why, the 
whole essay abounds with love for us and 
home.” 

“ That’s so, Mary ; it’s chuck-full of loyalty. 
Arnold’s essay does not sparkle so much, but — 
isn’t there a saying that still water runs deep?” 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


93 


“ I believe there is. But don’t you think we 
had better send them — after a good vacation — 
to the best colleges in the East?” asked his 
wife. 

“ Yes, I do. What one do you want Bessie to 
go to ? She is such a good, promising daugh- 
ter that I want you to select the very best.” 

“ I want her to go to one where there are 
none but young ladies. I think it would be 
the best, for then there will be no young men 
to attract her attention from her studies. It 
seems to me that the boys and girls should be 
educated in different schools.” 

“ I don’t see why they should be, but you 
can have your way about educating Bessie. 
What place have you selected?” said Mr. 
Brandon. 

“ What’s the name of that school for ladies 
located at Poughkeepsie, New York ? I read 
about it the other day. Oh, I remember now — 
Yassar ! ” 

“ Mary, you have made a good choice, I 
reckon, for I was born in New York and often 
heard about the rich people sendin’ their 
daughters there. It’s called a way-up school. 
But I. think I will send Arnold to Ann Arbor, 


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SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


Michigan. It’s a good school, too ; and, being 
a western man, it suits me better than those 
eastern universities.” 

These plans were heartily concurred in by 
the children, for they were anxious not only to 
please their parents, but to gratify their own 
ambition to excel in learning. In due course 
of time they passed the examination at their 
respective colleges. 


CHAPTER XL 


AT VASSAR. 

Bessie Brandon fell in love on sight with 
Vassar — Yassar which stands on the classic 
banks of the Hudson river and at the head of 
the American institutions that are devoted to 
the education of women exclusively. Beauti- 
fully situated not far from New York City on 
the south and the noted Catskill mountains on 
the north it challenges the admiration of all 
students. 

Its fame is world-wide and the curriculum 
embraces nearly all that could be desired. 
Its palatial buildings are very attractive ; its 
commodious dormitories entice sleep in some 
of Columbia’s brainiest and fairest daugh- 
ters ; its discipline surpasses all others — 
strict and unmerciful ; its professors are able, 
sad-eyed, austere, suspicious — watching like 
hawks the going and coming of each lady lest 
by some legerdemain she might smuggle through 


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SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


the gates an outlawed man ; and they frown at 
the wind because it might break the rules by 
carrying a “ message of love ” to some tempting 
callow youth just outside of the intellectual 
Eden — these were some of the merits and de- 
mands of Yassar when Bessie Brandon matricu- 
lated. 

No sooner had the professors classified the 
hundreds of students according to their attain- 
ments, and every thing was moving smoothly 
along in (h^ busy routine of college life, when 
each class, from freshman to senior, com- 
menced, as usual, to give tangible evidence of 
a strange and mysterious practice which never 
finds advocates in a college for men. It is a 
puzzle why women are so addicted to it. 

The metaphysician may be able to explain 
the absurd actions of the young ladies at Yas- 
sar and other like colleges, but to an ordinary 
person their peculiarities are likely to remain 
a mystery. So different are their ways from 
the University young men that one is almost 
forced to the conclusion that they belong to a 
different race. Whoever can ferret out the 
cause is surely well-versed in mental science; 
and he who can apply a remedy deserves the 


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97 


lasting gratitude of all persons who detest idol 
worship. 

The young lady in each class who had the 
most graceful figure, dressed lavishly, was very 
intellectual, possessed the best disposition, the 
prettiest face, and wore the sweetest smiles — 
in fact, the one having the most winning ways, 
was chosen Queen. 

The lady then assumed a queenly hauteur , 
and before her every one of her followers must 
bow the knee and every tongue must sound her 
praises. To win recognition from the Queen 
was the ambition of all who cared for social 
preferment or to gain even the good-will of the 
majority of their class-mates. It is no easy 
matter to be thus favored, as many a student 
has found out. The new arrival is sometimes 
at a loss to understand why all her endeavors 
to gain even a smile from the Queen is met 
with rebuffs and discouragements. Failure 
after failure disheartens her, and rather than 
live like one ostracized, she either gets ad- 
vanced to a more congenial class or leaves the 
college. 

Every where the Queen'must be honored by 
her worshipers. Even in the morning when 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


going to school the young ladies congregate on 
some principal street-corner to await her com- 
ing, and fill the air with their cooings. 

“ I do wish she would come,” says one. 

“I do want to see her so awfully bad,” says 
another. 

“Who?” asks one who has just been admit- 
ted to the college. 

“ Our 'Queen, of course,” is the answer, as 
the speaker looks anxiously up and down the 
street. 

“ Oh, there she is, walking through the 
park,” exclaims another. 

“How graceful she moves along.” 

“Too pretty for anything.” 

“Just lovely, isn’t she.” 

“I’d give the world if I were as good as she.” 

“Oh, she’s an angel.” 

“ How sweet.” 

“ 1 just can’t wait.” 

“I must kiss her first.” 

“ No, you sha’n’t.” 

Off the ladies ran, one after the other, and 
when the most favored ones are kissed and the 
others, bowing low, receive a sweet smile, the 
Queen leads them into the college. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


99 


Now, Miss Bessie Brandon was a very agree- 
able, ambitions and beautiful young lady. By 
her genial disposition and many accomplish- 
ments she gathered around her a host of 
friends. 'With very little opposition she was 
chosen Queen of the freshman, and the only 
criticism that was made about her was that she 
was too much inclined to treat all alike. Con- 
sidering the way that she had been reared her 
actions were in perfect harmony with her life ; 
but in course of time she became more aristo- 
cratic. 

She was very successful in her studies, and 
after a few years was promoted to the senior 
class, when a very wealthy and aristocratic lady 
from Rhode Island was chosen Queen. This 
did not, so far as ( the public could tell, excite 
envy in Miss Brandon ; but the Queen seemed 
to be envious of her accomplishments, which 
had been more than once recognized by the 
faculty. In many ways the Queen made it 
very unpleasant for her. 

Miss Brandon, however, was very popular 
in spite of the few persons who tried to dis- 
parage her triumphs. She was not of that 
turn of mind to sit still while others found 


100 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


enjoyment in trying to make her miserable, 
although she was naturally kind-hearted. Pos- 
sessing some literary ability, she devised a 
plan to silence her bitter enemy — the Queen. 
.Now, what would prove the most effective pun- 
ishment for a man would not do for a woman. 
* 

They think differently and have different treat-, 
ment. If there is any thing in the world that 
a woman knows thoroughly it is how to make 
another woman mad. In this Miss Brandon 
succeeded beyond her expectations. 

She simply wrote, for a noted magazine, a 
short article about two college girls. She 
graphically described, but in a thin disguise, 
the rivalry between herself and the Queen; 
how the Queen, after much talk about marry- 
ing well, wedded only an ordinary man of her 
own country ; and how the Queen cried and re- 
fused to be comforted when she read in the 
papers that her rival went to Europe and mar- 
ried a Prince. That was all. 

When the students read the article in the 
magazine there was a commotion. The aristo- 
cratic Bhode Island lady cried and was thor- 
oughly mad, and if it had not been so near 
Commencement Day she would have been de- 
throned and Bessie Brandon declared Queen. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


101 


Miss Brandon not only accomplished her 
purpose in lowering the estimation of the Queen 
in the eyes of her classmates by casting re- 
flections on the Queen’s ability to marry well, 
but she demonstrated the fact that no difference 
how bitter enemies American women may be 
they agree that the most desirable marriage in- 
cludes a title. 

But the bickerings and idol-worshiping which 
for years had occupied a good share of their 
college life had now to be suppressed; for 
when Commencement Day is near, all who ex- 
pect to graduate are busy with their stud- 
ies, hoping that they may acquit themselves 
creditably in the eyes of all and receive their 
diplomas. 

Miss Bessie Brandon had written home regu- 
larly to her parents, and told them of her pro- 
gress in her studies and her success socially. 
In spite of her accomplishments and triumphs 
she was the same happy child that used to 
hunt with her father in the Santa Cruz moun- 
tains, and her letters were as full of affection, 
if not more so, than they weie when she first 
entered Yassar. She entertained very different 
views on many questions — that was to be ex- 


102 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


pected ; but her general disposition was the 
same. 

During all this time she had not returned to 
the Pacific coast, and now, at the close of her 
college life, she was not ashamed to have her 
parents come and see her finish her course. In 
fact, she repeatedly asked and insisted that 
they should be present, as she expected to 
graduate with honors. 

Her mother had looked forward for years to 
the day when she could have the great pleas- 
ure of seeing her only daughter graduate at 
one of the best colleges in the land ; but the 
father was not so anxious about making such a 
long journey, and, to use his own language : 
“ I don’t believe I’d know a college if I’d see 
one, and the girls would get frightened at me, 
anyhow.” 

“ But you have never been back to New York 
since you left there when a young man ; and 
you can not only visit Yassar but you can 
visit your old friends on Long Island,” pleaded 
his wife. 

“ That’s so, Mary ; but I expect the old 
friends are pretty near all dead by this time. 
It’s been a long while ago, and you know old 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


103 


Father Time in cold New York has to work to 
keep warm,” and the hunter smiled in his quaint 
way. 

“ It will do you no harm to go, anyhow. 
Would you not like to hear Bessie sing in the 
great college ? ” 

“ You’re right, I would, Mary ; and I tell you 
I have missed her, oh, so often. Didn’t she have 
such a good voice ? Why, you could hear 
every word ; and couldn’t she make the organ 
hum ? I wonder if she can sing as good as 
ever ? ” 

“ Of course she can, and a great deal better. 
Don’t you remember that in one of her letters 
she said that she had won a prize in music? ” 

“ Gosh, that’s so. Marv, I’ll go if it breaks 
the Bank of Calif orny and the Yassar girls 
get me arrested for a wild man ! ” 

From that time on, until they left for the 
East they were busy arranging every thing in 
proper order on the large landed estate, so that 
they could enjoy the journey and not worry 
about any thing. Persons who have lived long 
in one place and have not been away for years 
are prone to think that if they leave even for a 
short vacation that their business will suffer, 


104 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


and that when they come back they will find 
every thing topsy-turvy. This was so with Mr. 
Brandon, but he had promised his wife to go 
and he determined to make his word good, even 
if it caused him some anxiety and much dis- 
comfort. 

Yassar boasted of over one thousand young 
lady students from all parts of the United 
States and a few ladies from several foreign 
countries. The relatives and friends of these 
students were now assembling at Poughkeepsie, 
New York, to witness the exercises pertaining 
to the presentation of the diplomas. 

Trains from New York and other adjacent 
cities brought crowds of people — some poor, 
more rich, and many influential — but they all 
came to pay tribute to youth and intellect, and 
bid the ladies greater success when they go 
forth into that greater school — the world. 

Commencement Day had a cloudless sky. 
Yassar, bathed in golden sunshine, never 
looked lovelier amid the stately elms on the 
classic banks of the Hudson. The campus car- 
peted with green blue-grass, the parks filled 
with the perfume of roses, and the shady paths 
fringed with the choicest flowers tempting the 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


105 


visitors to saunter through the grounds or sit 
idly in the cool shade and watch the gaily- 
decked crafts race up and down the river. 

Hark ! the bell is ringing and Yassar’s Main 
Hall is fast filling up. An aged couple is walk- 
ing slowly toward the building in which the 
crowd is gathering. The man has on a silk 
hat, a dark suit of clothes and leans heavily on 
a gold-headed cane ; but the chin-whiskers tell 
plainly that he is from the country. The lady 
is dressed becomingly for her age. They stop 
in front of the building and look around as if 
undecided which way to go, when, from a side- 
entrance, a flutter of white darts down the steps, 
and cries : 

“ Mother ! ” 

“ Dear Bessie ! ” 

“ Father ! ” 

“ My Daughter ! ” 

“ What made you so late ?” asks Bessie after 
kissing her parents. “ I have worried myself 
almost to death, thinking that something dread- 
ful had happened.” 

“We were delayed by a railroad wreck, Bes- 
sie,” answered Mr. Brandon. 

“Why didn’t you telegraph to me, father? ” 


106 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


“ I never thought a breath about it.” 

“Well, come this way,” said Bessie as sue 
led to the reserved seats for the parents of the 
graduating ladies. Making them as comfort- 
able as possible, she excused herself, as the 
hour for the exercises had arrived. 

Mr. Brandon and his wife gazed about in 
complete bewilderment, for such a sight they 
had never seen before. What fashion, wealth, 
culture and beauty were displayed in one build- 
ing! It was well worth the journey of three 
thousand miles, thought they. 

The stage was bountifully decorated with 
flowers. There were the professors, who had 
done so much for the education of the students, 
on the right of the stage and the class on the 
left. How beautifully the graduating ladies 
looked in their elaborate and varied styles 
of dress — their fond parents having lavished 
money without stint upon them. 

Through all the exercises the interest on the 
part of the visitors did not decrease, and each 
young lady was accorded generous applause ; 
but Bessie Brandon, who received the highest 
honors of the class, was the favorite, as there 
always is a favorite on such occasions, with the 
people. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


107 


The ovation given her was truly flattering. 
Her parents, with commendable pride, wit- 
nessed her success and watched closely to see 
if she had changed after being away from them 
so long. Yes; the years had made changes. 
She was prettier, more graceful, and her voice 
softer and more modulated ; but there was the 
same self-reliance and ambitious spirit which 
they admired in days gone by. 

As soon as the exercises were over Bessie in- 
troduced her parents to the professors and her 
many friends who had gathered around to con- 
gratulate her and wish her even greater tri- 
umphs in the future. After the usual courtesies 
of bidding each other farewell had been ob- 
served Bessie and her parents went to her 
apartments for refreshments and rest. 

For a week or more Bessie’s parents remained 
in Poughkeepsie resting and sight-seeing. There 
was much to be admired, and the time passed 
pleasantly with their daughter, whose extended 
acquaintance afforded them ample opportunity 
to see fashionable life at the college and con- 
trast it with the life in the country. One after- 
noon Bessie and her father were strolling in the 
college grounds and looking at the different va- 
rieties of roses. 


108 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


“ I have noticed, father,” said Bessie, as she 
plucked a flower and put it in the lapel of his 
coat, “ that as long as you have been here you 
have been rather reticent and have not ex- 
pressed yourself very decidedly about Vassar, 
while mother is just in love with Yassar.” 

“ Well, I think it is better to gather informa- 
tion than to give it away,” he said, -with a 
smile. 

“ But I want your opinion so badly. You 
used to trust me with your opinions when I 
used to go hunting with you.” 

“I hope I can always trust you, Bessie. Yas- 
sar is, no doubt, one of the best colleges. I 
may not be a fit judge, but there is something 
that I do not understand,” he said, hesi- 
tatingly. 

“ What is it, father?” 

“Well, to begin. You used to pronounce 
words very distinctly. You used to' say riv-e-r, 
ca-r and New Yo-r-k ; but now I notice you say 
riy-ah, cah and New Yo’k. Don’t understand 
it.” 

“ You see, father,” said Bessie, laughing ; 
“the letter ‘r ’ must not be blurred, but sounded 
or touched lightly.” 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


109 


“ When I touch * r ’ or any other letter, I be- 
lieve in touching it hard enough to wake it up. 
You may be right, Bessie, but I think you 
don’t sound the letter at all,” said her father, 
good-naturedly. 

“What of it, if the ‘r’ is silent or dropped ? ” 
asked Bessie. 

“ I’m goin’ to tell you. I drop my ‘ g ’ be- 
cause I ©didn’t get enough education, and the 
Vassar girl drops her ‘r’ because — well, I 
don’t know — may be she’s got too much edu- 
cation. It puzzles me to tell where ignorance 
ends and where education begins. Please ex- 
cuse me for changin’ the subject, Bessie, but 
isn’t it hot ! I do wish I had my old coon-skin 
cap instead of this silk hat.” 

“Well, what other objections have you got 
against Vassar?” asked Bessie, laughing, as 
she w r atched her father wipe the perspiration 
from his forehead. 

“ You know I’m old-fashioned and should not 
talk too much.” 

“ That is just what I like, father. You’re a 
diamond in the rough ; but go on with your 
objections.” 

“ I well remember when I used to listen with 


110 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


delight to your singin’ in our dear old Cali- 
forny home ; and I could hear every word you 
sang, even if I were some distance away. One 
clear, still night, as your song — every word as 
clear as a bell — came floatin’ down the canyon 
to me, I just stopped killin’ coons to listen.” 

“ But can not we Yassar girls sing as well? ” 

“ No — not one.” 

“ Why?” 

“It’s another puzzle.” 

“ But the critics have decided that we are 
proficient in music ; and as you have heard a 
good deal of singing since you have been here 
I would like to know what it sounds like if it is 
not good music? ” 

“ But I don’t think it would be proper to tell 
what it sounds like to me — I’m no critic.” 

“We are all alone, father, and I do want to 
know your private opinion — out with it,” said 
Bessie, encouragingly. 

“Bessie, you remember that you have shot 
and killed coyotes?” 

“ Of course I remember.” 

“ And some you only wounded? ” 

“ Yes, father.” 

“ Well, a Yassar girl’s singin’ to me is like 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


Ill 


the howlin’ of one of your wounded coyotes — 
you can’t tell what she’s sayin’.” 

Bessie laughed heartily at her father’s ob- 
jections to Vassar, knowing that back of his 
blunt speech was a kind and true heart. 

They walked on leisurely to where they were 
staying, and, after talking over their plans for 
the summer with Mrs. Brandon, it was decided 
that Bessie and her mother should spend the 
summer at Newport, Bliode Island, where Bes- 
sie had been before, and that Mr. Brandon 
should pay a short visit to his boyhood home 
on Long Island, and return to California. 


CHAPTEK XIL 


AT NEWPORT. 

When Miss Bessie Brandon and her mother 
arrived at Newport, fashionable society was 
just recovering from the commotion caused by 
the “ love affair ” of Prince Colombo and Miss 
Sorosis Blackstone ; and Bessie’s appearance 
right at this time created anxiety on the part 
of several ladies who had laid their plans with 
the utmost care to capture the Prince. 

Nothing is more exasperating to professional 
husband-hunters, who are enjoying the smiles 
and blandishments of the men, than to have 
a young and pretty miss come into society, 
and captivate every man worth marrying. They 
would, if they had the power, protect them- 
selves from such a monopoly. But as com- 
petition is the life of irade, so competition for 
a title was the life of Newport. 

A few days after Miss Brandon had secured 
a cottage in Newport, the Prince met his confi- 
dential friend one morning in the Park. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


113 


“ Hello, Prince, you are just the person I 
want to see. Come and sit down on one of 
these rustic seats, for I’ve good news to tell 
you.” 

“ I’ve got some good news myself to impart,” 
replied the Prince, as he seated himself and lit 
a cigar. 

“Your news, Prince, is about that lady you 
were with last night at the quadrille.” 

“Yes, you guessed it. She is very rich, 
and 

“Look here, Prince,” broke in his friend, 
“you are foolish to waste your smiles and time 
on that one now .” 

“ Why ? She’s the richest lady in Newport.” 

“No, she is not. There is a new arrival, and 
1 have had a long chat with her.” 

“How did you ‘catch on* so soon?” asked 
the Prince. 

“Oh, she was here last summer, you know, 
and” 

“No, I don’t know. I was not here last sum- 
mer,” chipped in the Prince, laughing. 

“And she is the wealthiest lady here by long 
odds.” 

“ Oh, tell me all about her,” said the Prince, 
in great earnestness. 


114 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


“She’s the only daughter of a California 
millionaire, just graduated with the highest 
honors from Yassar College, and is a real 
young beauty.” 

“How many brothers has she?” asked the 
Prince, quickly. 

“ Only one.” 

“ That’s one too many.” 

“ But her father is a millionaire several 
times over and she has money to burn.” 

“ Where did you say she’s from ?” 

“ From California, the Golden State.” 

“Money to burn, young, pretty and one 
brother,” repeated the Prince, thoughtfully. 

“ All that and more,” said his friend. “She 
has a superb figure, and her daring exploits in 
her silk bathing suits of many colors set New- 
port wild last summer.” 

“ Silk bathing suits of many colors ?” 

“ That’s what I said, Prince ; and she can 
swim like a fish. You ought to see her with 
her wealth of golden hair, in the water. It’s a 
picture to feast your eyes on.” 

“I don’t care so much about her swimming 
abilities; but is she matrimonially inclined ?” 

“ Well, that’s the question. She was not 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


115 


last summer. But she has graduated now, and 
I think by proper tactics you can win her, for 
when I asked her — for effect — if she had the 
honor of your acquaintance she blushed and 
said she would consider it a rare favor to be 
introduced to the Prince. I promised to intro- 
duce her at the first opportunity, and she 
thanked me with one of her sweetest smiles, 
revealing such perfect teeth.” 

“Are her family connections as aristocratic 
as Miss Blackstone’s ?” asked the Prince. 

“No. To tell you the truth they are the re- 
verse. Both her parents were reared in ob- 
scure poverty, but no one can say a word against 
their integrity. It seems to be the rule that 
women who are of humble origin have a great 
desire, when they become rich to marry some 
one who is of high birth, so as to — to — ” 

“ Bridge over the chasm between the classes,” 
spoke up the Prince, coming to the assistance 
of his friend. 

“ That’s the way to express it, Prince ; and I 
think you have the proper bridge material and 
she has got the money to put up the bridge. 
What do you say ? ” 

“ If she is all that you claim, I shall give the 


116 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


‘ cold shoulder ’ to that other lady and stake my 
fortune — or rather my title — upon the young 
California heiress. When can I have the pleas- 
ure of her acquaintance?” 

“ If you like, this afternoon on the beach. 
But I have one request to make.” 

“ Any reasonable request will surely be 
granted. What is it ? ” 

“You must shave off your mustache.” 

“ What’s the object of that? ” 

“ It is this, Prince. You do not look well 
with a mustache, and as I have undertaken to 
secure you a rich wife I want to enhance your 
personal appearance as much as possible. You 
will look much younger to be clean-shaven, 
and I am sure you will then make a good 
impression on Miss Brandon this afternoon on 
the beach. The first impression, if good, is very 
effective on the mind of a young lady fresh from 
college.” 

“The mustache comes off,” replied the Prince, 
with a merry twinkle in his eye, as they arose 
to go down town. 

Newport was at the height of the gay season. 
Fashionable men and women from all the prin- 
cipal cities were fast filling up this famous 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


117 


summer resort, and every day there were new 
attractions for the pleasure-seekers. To-day it 
is sea-bathing and to-morrow it will be polo, 
and so on. 

As yet Miss Brandon had not made her ap- 
pearance in society, for she had been busy fit- 
ting up her cottage for her mother and herself. 
True, she had met several of her old friends in 
an informal way, and became well posted as to 
what was going on and what had taken place 
since the season opened ; but she had not ap- 
peared at any entertainment or public gather- 
ing. 

Now, as sea-bathing had been announced as 
the day’s special attraction, and as swimming 
was one of her most enjoyable pastimes, she had 
made up her mind to join the rollicking crowd 
in the afternoon at Narragansett Pier and take 
a dip in the ocean. 

It was a typical New England summer day, 
just a slight breeze stirring to temper the heat, 
and hardly a white-capped wave could be seen 
as the billows rolled in succession and broke 
into foam upon the sandy beach. 

Newport was depopulated. The people were 
all on the beautiful sea-shore at Narragansett, 


118 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


where the old and the young, male and female, 
the sedate and the buxom flirt were basking in 
the smiles of Old Neptune. What crowds of 
men and women ambled up and down the 
beach along with gaily-dressed children, pug 
dogs and skye terriers ! 

How precise the rules of propriety are ob- 
served in selecting the kind of amusement! 
But the rules are not the people’s. They are 
of each person, for each person and by each per- 
son. Each shallow-chested and spider-legged 
person of either sex did not don a bathing-suit ; 
but each person who was plump of body and 
limb discarded the street habiliments. Thus, 
by the rules of natural selection, the crowds 
were on the beach as spectators and the living 
pictures in the water as performers. 

Oh, such living pictures! They, in their 
vari-colored costumes, were a delight to the 
most fastidious. Here and there the crowds 
would gather as the attraction shifted by some 
fair charmer or daring man appearing among 
the breakers ; or at some other point where a fat 
man, or a fatter woman, would be seen floating 
on the water, wrong side up. Nearly every body 
seemed happy. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


119 


Tlie Prince and his confidential friend, becom- 
ing weary of swimming in the strong tide that 
was running inland, were lying on the beach 
surrounded by a bevy of society ladies, whose 
conversation and shy glances showed that the 
Prince was the object of their attraction. One 
of the ladies was holding her parasol in such a 
way as to protect the Prince’s complexion 
from the sun, while he was regaling them, 
by request, with one of his weird Italian 
tales. 

Not far away from this group of celebrities 
Miss Brandon stepped out of one of the 
dressing-rooms and passed unnoticed into the 
surf, where she tested her skill buffeting the 
waves for the first time that season. Becom- 
ing more self-reliant, she swam still farther 
out, until she reached a rock, which was be- 
yond the danger-line during the incoming tide. 
She climbed upon the rock and stood motion- 
less for a moment looking into the boiling 
water with her arms poised above her head. 

A life-guard caught sight of her and shouted 
to her that there was danger. The people 
heard the warning, and turned their eyes to- 
ward the object-point in time to see her plunge 
headlong into the foaming breakers, 


120 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


The life-guard hurried to the rescue, the 
Prince cut short his Italian story and arose to 
his feet, but the parasol was still between him 
and the sun. The crowds gathered on the 
beach opposite the rock, and watched with 
bated breath. After passing around the rock, 
the life-guard returned without the lady, and 
as he stepped on the beach a dozen voices 
asked : 

“ Is she dead ? ” 

“ I don’t think so,” answered the life-guard, 
slowly. “She’s that expert swimmer from Vas- 
sal*, and she said if I bothered her again she’d 
duck me for luck.” 

As he ceased speaking, there she was on the 
rock, and before the people had time to recover 
from their fright, she poised and plunged 
again into the sea. The Prince looked, toward 
his confidential friend and received a signifi- 
cant nod in return. Re-appearing on the top of 
a wave, the crowd cheered her again and 
again. 

To the delight of the spectators, she disported 
for an hour in the sea, like a mermaid. Then, 
coming nearer to the shore, her bathing-suit of 
bright colors could be distinctly seen as she 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


121 


arose with the billows. The Prince and his 
friend, becoming anxious to enjoy another dip 
in the sea, politely excused themselves to the 
ladies; and were soon mounting the billows 
with a dexterity which caused the society ladies 
to exclaim with enthusiasm that the Prince was 
no novice in the art of swimming. 

Presently, as if by some strange oceanic dis- 
turbance, the roaring breakers drifted and 
whirled, tossing the bathers like bubbles on 
the crest of a wave ; but when the billows sub- 
sided, the commotion of the ocean was trans- 
ferred to the society ladies on the beach. 
There, in the shallow surf, stood the Prince 
and his friend beside Miss Brandon, chatting 
as merrily as if no jealous eyes were watching. 

When Narragansett Beach was deserted that 
evening, gossip was rife iu Newport about the 
Prince and the Vassal' graduate. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


SECOND ENGAGEMENT. 

Miss Brandon was deeply impressed with 
the suave manner, general appearance and 
exalted title of Prince Colombo. The Prince 
was deeply impressed with the necessity of 
marrying a rich lady very soon, in order to 
liquidate an aggregation of debts which he had 
incurred while trying to win an American 
heiress. 

Under these conditions it was not long before 
the Prince and Miss Brandon appeared to- 
gether at the most exclusive entertainments 
and receptions in Newport, and rumor had it 
that it was a case of love at first sight. But 
this was disputed by several young men, who 
were anxious to contest the Prince’s alleged 
claim to the entire attention of Miss Brandon. 

Her brilliant conversation, vivacious dis- 
position, and acknowledged beauty won for her 
the respect of all and the admiration of many. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


123 


She soon became as much a favorite at New- 
port as she had been at Yassar. No fashion- 
able entertainment was considered complete 
without her ; and she gloried in the fact that 
she had broken into the caste of aristocracy. 

American men of wealth, polish, fame, high 
social position, and personal attractions felt 
flattered by an introduction to her, and they 
vied with each other in paying tribute to her 
beauty and accomplishments. Fashionable 
balls and receptions followed each other in 
rapid succession as the season advanced, and 
many were given in her honor by her American 
admirers. She was pleased by their attention, 
but she seemed happy only in the presence of 
the Prince. 

“Mother,” she said one day after returning 
from an entertainment, “don’t you think it 
would be just splendid if I were to marry the 
Prince, and he is such a nice fellow, too ? ” 

“ Has he proposed ? ” asked her mother, 
quickly. 

“No, not exactly; but he has been very 
attentive, and I think his intentions are hon- 
orable.” 

•“But you know, Bessie, your father is so 


124 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


opposed to titled foreigners, and I hardly 
think he would approve of such an engage- 
ment. Still he might.” 

“But father is so indulgent, and the Prince is 
so delightful ! I am sure father would forgive 
me ; and then would it not be grand for you 
and father to refer to me as the Princess instead 
of Bessie ? ” and the daughter smiled in rap- 
ture at the thought. 

“ So far as I am concerned, Bessie, I have no 
objection. The idea strikes me very favorably ; 
and the Prince has been so very kind to me. I 
really think he would make a good husband.” 

“ I think so too, mother ; and he always 
asks about you. He’s so kind and thoughtful. 
And just think how grand it would be for you 
to come and stay with me as long as you want 
to in our home in Borne. There I would be a 
Princess and you would be honored and that 
would make some of the Newport ladies so 
mad! ” 

“ There are some things very dazzling about 
the titled classes of Europe, Bessie, and I would 
like to go and see their ways and their coun- 
try.” 

“ Mother, you ought to hear the Prince’s de- 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


125 


scription of Rome and other grand Italian 
cities, and ” — looking out of the window, added: 
“ There is the Prince coming now on his bicycle. 
I am so glad. Then turning to Ah Lung, the 
Chinese servant, she instructed him to tell the 
Prince to walk right into the parlor. She 
busied herself and took a few quick glances in 
the mirror. 

At the pressing of the electric button Ah 
Lung opened the door, and said : 

“Walkee light in, Princee ; walkee light 
in!” 

“I am so delighted that you have come, 
Prince,” said Miss Brandon, extending her hand 
and asking him to be seated in the arm chair. 

The Prince bowed gracefully, shook hands 
with both ladies, inquired after their health, and 
as he seated himself, said : 

“ Miss Brandon, I felt so lonely this after- 
noon that I thought I would come and ask if 
you would like to have a little outing on the 
wheel ? ” 

“ How kind of you, Prince. It will be so de- 
lightful. Excuse me, please, until I prepare 
for the wheel.” 

The Prince bowed affably, and then engaged 


126 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


in a pleasant conversation with her mother. He 
praised the fine weather, discoursed on the pic- 
turesqueness of the country, and gave it as his 
private opinion that the Americans were the 
greatest people under the sun. This seemed 
to please Mrs. Brandon very much, and when 
Bessie appeared dressed in her riding habit, 
she said : 

“ You both look so fine, I think you had bet- 
ter have your pictures taken with your bicycles.” 

“ Capital idea. We will,” said they both in 
one voice ; and as they mounted their wheels 
they bade good-bye to Mrs. Brandon. 

Both were adept bicycle-riders, and their 
tour attracted much attention as they went 
dressed in the latest fashion — he in a flashy 
coat and trousers and she in woman-rights 
breeches and a pongee jacket — through the 
principal streets and out across the country. 

The exhilarating ride was very enjoyable and 
on their return they stopped at a noted artist 
to secure a few good pictures, as Miss Brandon 
said she intended to send one home to her 
father. 

The Prince was more devoted in his attention 
to her, and gossip had it that they were en- 
gaged. 


I 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 127 

The fact that the people saw-ihem riding so 
much together had something to do with the 
general belief that they became engaged on the 
wheel. This belief, however, was wrong. 

When sea-bathing, polo, tennis and other 
amusements lost their charm about the close of 
the season, the joyous autumnal picnics became 
more popular, especially the picnic by moon- 
light. It was at one of their favorite moonlight 
picnics that Prince Colombo made a conditional 
engagement with Miss Bessie Brandon, on 
whom he promised to bestow his proud Italian 
title, if her father would present them with a 
house in Rome and guarantee a specified yearly 
income. This plain proposition, adroitly put, 
was accepted. 

Up to this time the Prince’s pathway had 
been strewed with flowers, and all the ladies 
had been loud in their praises of him ; but 
when the engagement was announced the same 
ladies who had looked on him only to admire 
now placed the Prince and his fiancee under the 
microscope and examined them as none but 
women can. 

The poet says that “ hope springs eternal in 
the human breast ; ” but jealousy in the breasts 


128 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


of these women did twice the springing. To a 
disinterested person it is really amusing to hear 
the comments of these ladies on the pedigrees 
of this noted conple. 

“I do not know what to think of Prince 
Colombo,” said Miss Critic one day to a group 
of ladies in the ball-room of the Casino, after 
the “ dance of the tinkling cymbals,” “ for 
selecting Miss Bessie Brandon. She is only a 
Western girl who has been in society just two 
seasons. She made her debut last year, and 
she didn’t make such a sensation, either. She 
may be rich, but I doubt it ; and even if she is, 
the Prince needs every dollar of it, for he is 
just awfully in debt. 

“ He owes nearly everybody. He plays the 
races, gambles, and I have heard it whispered 
that his favorite beverage isn’t water. His 
pedigree is not to be bragged about, for I have 
been told that the whole Italian lot are paupers. 
I would never marry such a worthless man, 
would you?” 

“No, never! Its awfully awful, and scan- 
dalous, too,” came a chorus of voices. 

65 Of course its scandalous,” continued Miss 
Critic ; " and it is humiliating to all true Ameri- 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


120 


cans. She thinks she’s smart, but all that she 
is going to marry him for is his poor macaroni 
title. And did you ever see such a lop-sided, 
bow-legged and pigeon-toed specimen of the 
genus homo ? ” 

“ Never ; not even in a museum,” answered 
the other ladies, in one voice. 

“ Miss Brandon thinks that she did some- 
thing grand to come to Newport and cajDture 
the only Prince at this famous watering-place; 
but I want to tell you one thing,” and Miss 
Critic’s eyes flashed with indignation. “ Her 
pedigree is very defective.” 

“ Hear ! hear ! ” cried the listeners, coming 
up closer. 

“ At one time her folk were quite poor out 
West. Her father spent his time paddling 
around in a mountain river trying to fish out 
gold, where old miners said there was not a 
‘ color ’ in the whole good-for-nothing stream. 
He kept right on paddling. Owing to this, 
they were forced to keep a boarding house for 
lumbermen; and the old woman did the cook- 
ing, while the embryo Princess slung the hash. 
Finally, the old man quit mining — that was 
what he called it — and went trapping for 
coons ! ” 


130 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


“ And did they make their wealth on coon- 
skins?” came again a chorus of voices. 

“ That’s what I’ve heard. I don’t give it to 
you as gospel truth, but as gossip truth ; and 
I think it is a good riddance when they get 
married and clear out of this place. But after 
all the match is a good combination — maca- 
roni and coon-skins! ” 


CHAPTER XIV. 


MONEY TALKS. 

In California, on the Lorenzo land grant 
in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the heat of the 
sun was intense. It was one o’clock in the 
afternoon. At the foreman’s call the laborers 
walked lazily from the shade of the tall eu- 
calyptus trees, where they had been lying and 
dozing on the green grass. Those who had 
been dreaming of better days in the past re- 
gretted their luck, while the others laughed, or 
went stoically to their work on the ranch, con- 
tented in the thought that they had employ- 
ment. 

Mr. Brandon, after reading in a newspaper 
about two ladies who bowed down in admiration 
and kissed the seat on which the Prince of Wales 
had just been sitting, had fallen asleep in his 
low hammock on the portico, where, over the 
lattice-work, the climbing reine marie hen- 


132 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


rietta shielded him with its leaves from the 
rays of the sun. The bear, across the way, was 
not worrying about its freedom, but was enj Dy- 
ing a rest in the shade on the top of a large 
box, which, in bad weather, it used for a house. 

There was no breeze stirring — no noise could 
be heard, save when the canary bird woke 
up between naps ; and becoming disgusted 
each time with singing in hot weather, it would 
relapse again into a blissful doze. About the 
house all life seemed to be dozing in the dreamy 
climate. There were no signs of life even up 
and down the wagon-road as far as the eye 
could see. 

Hours passed before the stillness was broken 
by a rumbling noise in the north, announcing 
the coming of the passenger train from San 
Francisco. But its arrival and departure dis- 
turbed no one about the house except John, 
the Chinese cook, who moves, cat-like, about 
his duties. Presently he goes, as usual for the 
mail, and, on his return, steps softly on the 
portico and leaves a letter and a package on a 
writing-table near the sleeper. 

The old hunter awakes, rubs his eyes, and 
looks about as if he were in doubt whether it 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


133 


was morning or evening. Then, espying the 
package and letter, opens the former first for 
the address is in the handwriting of his daughter. 

“Bessie is such a good child. I wonder what 
she has sent me this time,” he said as he with- 
drew a large photograph. “ Oh, its a picture 
and a nice one, too. Got to get my specs to see 
who it is.” On the bottom of the photograph 
was written: “Bessie Brandon and Prince 
Colombo.” 

He scanned closely the photograph ; read what 
was written on the bottom ; glanced again at 
the two persons in bicycle suits, and exclaimed : 

“Begosh, which is Bessie and which is the 
Prince.” 

Then he added as he pointed with his finger 
at the photograph : “ If this is the Prince I don’t 
like the dude ; and if that is my Bessie I don’t 
like he-r-r-r — pants. I guess she has caught the 
‘ Ne w W oman ’ craze. 1 1 beats all, dang if it don’t. 
If she would wear a dress instead of those 
pufFed-up pants, it would not look so bad ; but 
I think she did it just for fun.” 

He looked out upon the yard in deep med- 
itation for a minute or two and then picked up 
the letter glanced at the hand-writing, but it 


134 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


was strange to him. On opening the letter he 
recognized the writing as that of his daugh- 
ter, and it read as follows : 

Newport, E. I., 

Cottage Terrace, Bellevue Avenue, 
Sept. 5th, 1893. 

Mr. Thomas Brandon, 

Lorenzo Station, Cal. 

My Dear Father: 

No doubt you have had an inkling from 
mother’s letters to you of the good news which 
I am now going to tell you. You know, my 
dear father, that my life has been full of tri- 
umphs and happiness ; but I feel prouder and 
happier now than I have ever been in my 
life. 

I am engaged to Prince Colombo, of Eome, 

Italy. 

I know, dear father, that you will join in my 
happiness. I know you will like him when you 
see him, for he is a true gentleman and a great 
admirer of this country and its people. He is 
so refined, so affable, and the very soul of 
honor. He is the acknowledged representative 
of the Italian branch of the descendants of 
Christopher Columbus. 

It would be needless for me to tell you how 
fashionable Newport received him on his ar- 
rival as a total stranger. The most aristocratic 
and exclusive set went wild over him, and many 
a woman who prides herself that her blood is 
blue tried to win the love of this noble Prince. 
Our admiration for each other at the introduc- 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


135 


tion grew into friendship and friendship into 
love and an engagement. We await your ap- 
proval. 

By the way, dear father, it is customary in 
Europe among the titled classes that when a 
nobleman marries, the bride’s father, if pos- 
sessed of great wealth, always makes a settle- 
ment on the bridegroom — that is, he allows, say, 
fifty thousand dollars per year, for the main- 
tenance of the couple, and presents the bride 
with a house commensurate with her high so- 
cial position and title. The Prince joins me in 
sending much love. 

Hoping, dear father, that you will grant your 
blessing on your child, as mother has hers, I 
remain, 

Your loving daughter, 

Bessie Brandon. 

P. S. — The Prince has written your address 
on the envelope, and isn’t it just lovely writ- 
ing? B. B. 

He read it over again carefully, took a drink 
of cool water from the olla , re-seated himself, 
and soliloquized, as follows : 

“ The whole thing in a nut-shell is this — 
money talks. No money, no marriage. No 
marriage, Bessie may sicken and die. What 
am I to do ? I have built up a large fortune 
under my country’s flag, and now my own off- 


136 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


spring — darling Bessie, how I love you — 
reaches out her hand to tear it down and spend 
the money with a foreigner in a foreign land ! 

“ It hurts my pride, it humiliates me, and it 
tramples on the anti-title principles that I love 
so well. Does dear Bessie know how this 
grieves her old father ? Has she forgotten my 
teachings so soon? At the school in San Jose 
she loved her native land and praised its insti- 
tutions ; but fresh from Yassar she loves a 
Prince and praises monarchy. 

“ My two children — twins — reared together 
under the same surroundings, loved and taught 
the same principles by their parents, educated 
in the best colleges of the land, and what is 
the result ? One comes home from the uni- 
versity stronger in the faith of his father — loving 
his country better, and is now a distinguished 
lawyer in the city. The other — petted by 
all — triumphs also at college, only to prove 
false to the principles of her country, and 
transfers her allegiance to a monarchy. Where 
does the fault lie and who is to blame ? Is it 
my wife ? No ! She is a good woman and 
would do me no intentional wrong. It may be 
that woman’s mind is so constituted that she 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


137 


falls an easy victim to the glitter of a monarchy. 
Who can tell ? 

“ But this case has got to be decided. I 
agreed with my wife to look after Arnold’s edu- 
cation and she to care tor Bessie, and I must 
abide by the consequences. It would prob- 
ably have been just the same if I had cared for 
Bessie and she Arnold. I shall consult my 
lawyer first, before the letter will be answered,” 
and he walked out in the yard among the 
flowers, palms and Boyal Poincianas. 

Mr. Brandon, though a hunter, was a shrewd 
business man in many ways, and especially in 
real estate. When he became owner of a piece 
of land, he believed in holding on to it until 
he could realize an enormous profit by selling. 
Always having faith in California from the time 
he first landed in Monterey, his one aim seemed 
to be to acquire more land. 

He now had a large bank account, and by 
judicious investments in the early days in city 
lots in San Francisco, he was now receiving 
several thousand dollars per month from the 
rental of the business buildings on those lots. 
Besides this, he had other income in property 
in smaller cities. Without counting the large 


138 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


profits of his ranch, he could easily, if so dis- 
posed, comply with the customs of the titled 
classes of Europe. 

In spite of his immense wealth he never 
manifested any desire to change his mode of 
living, but adhered strictly to his old way of 
enjoying himself. When any complicated legal 
question arose he consulted his lawyer, and all 
matter pertaining to the ranch was left to his 
trusted foreman, which left him comparatively 
secure from worry. This accounted to a great 
extent for his jovial disposition. But it had 
been noticed of late that he appeared to be 
rather irritable, and this evening, at the supper 
table, the foreman remarked to him that he 
looked so very solemn and asked the cause. 
Brandon replied with suppressed emotion, 
that he did not feel well, but that he believed 
he would be all right in the morning. 

The next day, after consulting his lawyer, he 
had the following letter written to his daughter : 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


139 


San Francisco, Cal., 
Sept 14th, 1893. 

Miss Bessie Brandon, 


Cottage Terrace, Bellevue Ave., 


My Dear Daughter: 


Newport, B. I. 


Yours of the 5th inst. is at hand and contents 
perused very carefully. To say that I was 
surprised would express it very mildly. Far be 
it from me now to raise an objection or place 
any thing in the way of your happiness ; for my 
love for you, dear Bessie, is so great that only 
death can kill it. I do hope that you have 
chosen wisely, and that your future life will be 
as happy, if not happier than the past. I send 
my approval and blessing. 

I will allow you fifty thousand dollars a year, 
and, as I presume that you will be married in 
Newport, I will authorize a check of one hun- 
dred thousand dollars to be presented to you 
on your wedding day. I have not been feeiing 
well and will not be able to attend, under the cir- 
cumstances. 

After the wedding I hope you and your hus- 
band will accompany your mother to the Coast, 
where a more definite arrangement can be made. 
I send much love to you and Mr. Colombo. 


Your affectionate father, „ 


(Signed) Thomas Brandon. 


CHAPTER XY. 


THE WEDDING AND JOURNEY. 

It was decided by the social leaders that the 
giddy whirl of society at Newport would be 
brought to a close by the wedding of Miss 
Brandon and Prince Colombo. It seemed to 
be fitting that the season should so end ; 
for the Prince had been, from the day he 
arrived, almost at the opening, the central 
figure around which the American satellites 
revolved. He had practically finished his 
work and kept his word that he would win a 
rich wife if it took years. Why should not 
the season close in a blaze of glory in his 
honor ? 

True, there were several disconsolate ladies, 
whose tear-stained cheeks and heaving bosoms 
said plainly that their highest hopes were 
blasted, and who refused to be comforted, al- 
though they were kindly told that this is a 
world made up principally of mirages and 
disappointments. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


141 


However, Newport was intoxicated with joy. 
For weeks the people had discussed nothing 
but the wedding, and now the eventful day had 
arrived. Fashion’s most noted devotees vied 
with each. other to add pomp and brilliancy to 
the occasion. 

All the morning the streets were full of peo- 
ple. The sea-shore had lost its charm, the 
tennis, golf, and polo grounds were deserted ; 
while in the forest dell, where many a merry 
moonlight picnic had, with song and dance, made 
the very stars envy the revelers — the autumnal 
wind whistled among the boughs and scattered 
yellow leaves upon the ground. One more 
holiday, one more hilarious night, and these 
gay people of fashion will turn their faces 
cityward. 

Long before noon, the hour set for the mar- 
riage service to take place, the church, desig- 
nated as the one where the bridal couple would 
be united in the bonds of holy wedlock, was 
besieged by a motley crowd, eager to obtain a 
glimpse of the bride and groom. 

The inside of the church was beautifully dec- 
orated with choice flowers and creeping vines. 
In front of the altar, festoons of roses and 


142 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


ivy in profusion hung near the burning can- 
dles; while at either side of the altar-rails 
immense masses of the fairest blossoms that 
bloom, and clematis and trailing ivy covered 
every thing, save a narrow passage leading to 
the altar. 

The windows wore a garland of exquisite 
pink carnation, ferns and La France roses ; and 
the pews, reserved for the relatives and inti- 
mate friends, were marked by a small bouquet 
of pink sweet-peas, tied with a silk ribbon. A 
few minutes before twelve the church was 
filled with the ultra-fashionable gentlemen and 
ladies. 

Most of the ladies wore sparkling diamonds 
and richly embroidered gowns — gowns im- 
ported from Worth and Felix ; while others 
wore with equal grace and effect costumes 
made by noted home dressmakers. This dis- 
play of beauty and art charmed the eye and 
furnished a brilliant picture on either side of 
the aisle where the bridal couple would pass. 

The conventional Prince Albert coats were 
worn by the gentlemen, who, with silk hats and 
no great display of jewelry or flashy colors, 
made an agreeable and pleasant contrast with 
the gorgeous array of the fair sex. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


143 


At noon the bride was escorted into the 
church by her brother, Arnold Brandon, who 
gave her hand in marriage. She wore a Worth 
gown of weird design and matchless beauty, a 
necklace of brilliants — a present from her 
brother — a diamond tiara from her mother, and 
in her hand was a large bouquet of rare selec- 
tion. The Prince was becomingly dressed, and 
looked the happier of the two — in fact, he 
beamed with smiles. 

At the chancel steps the Prince was attended 
by his confidential friend, who had piloted him 
over the troubled sea to a matrimonial haven, 
as best man. After the betrothal service by 
the officiating clergyman, the bride and groom, 
maid of honor and best man, ascended the altar 
steps where the marriage ceremonies and 
benediction were impressively pronounced. 

Then marvelous music floated through the 
church as America’s fair heiress and Italy’s 
proud Prince, as husband and wife, passed 
down the aisle to the carriage in waiting at the 
canopy, followed by Newport’s best society. 

A battalion of blue-coated policemen kept 
back the surging people, who, on tip-toes, 
craned their necks to get a farewell glimpse of 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


144 

the bridal couple. Liveried coachmen drove 
through the crowd to the canopy, where serv- 
ing maids in white and footmen clothed in 
scarlet plush and in private livery assisted the 
ultra-fashionable into carriages. 

A reception was given by the bridal party at 
which none but the exclusive set, outside of 
relatives and most intimate friends, were ad- 
mitted. In the evening a swell ball, which 
lasted into the night, afforded a last opportu- 
nity to the young or the elderly couple, ere they 
part for the year, to glide merrily together 
through the mazes of the dance. But when 
the electric lights in the ball-room were turned 
out the gay season at Newport, which had made 
so many happy, and some sad-hearted, closed. 

In the evening of the next day the bridal 
party, with Mrs. Brandon and son, departed 
for California, leaving behind them at the pier 
many admiring and happy friends, waving 
adieu. Singular, though it be, the happiest 
friends of the Prince appeared tc be those who 
had cast their bread upon the water and which 
had returned to them in many days — but im- 
mediately after his wife’s present of a one hun- 
dred thousand dollar check from her father was 
cashed. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


145 


The journey through populous cities, thickly 
settled states, and thrifty mining districts was 
a continuous surprise to the Prince ; and when 
he crossed the snow-capped Sierras and saw 
the land that lies beyond — a land of sunshine, 
fruit, and flowers — he became very enthusiastic 
and often declared that America owed much to 
Christopher Columbus and his Spanish and 
Italian descendants. 

“We have named cities, towns and counties 
after Columbus and we revere his memory to 
this day,” suggested the beautiful Princess as 
she noticed the Prince frowned and looked as 
if his mind were worried. 

“ Yes, America has done that much, but look 
at her wealth,” slowly replied the Prince as his 
mind reverted back to ’77, when a test case, by 
one of his kinsmen, was made to settle America’s 
indebtedness on a cash basis for having been 
discovered by Columbus. 

Thinking on this subject made him the less 
cheerful, and the Princess very pleasantly said : 

“ A penny for your thoughts.” 

“I was thinking what America would have 
been worth if Columbus had not discovered it. 
Instead of being full of wealth as it is now, it 


146 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


would have been full of naked savages. Yet 
Congress let Columbus’ descendants remain 
poor. Eepublics are ungrateful. Even my 
relative from Spain was treated very shabbily 
this year by the men of America. They would 
not donate a cent after he had lost all his money 
at a bull-fight — regular misers.” 

“ But the women are always more generous,” 
suggested the Princess. 

“Yes, that is so, and I do wish they could 
vote. They are better .educated and appreciate 
nobility. I was astonished to see that the 
ladies at Newport knew more about the Kings 
of Italy than they did about the Presidents of 
their own country. Women are always pro- 
gressive.” 

The Prince remained in a dejected frame of 
mind until he, after securing the bridal chamber 
in the principal hotel in San Francisco, visited 
his father-in-law’s estate and computed the 
wealth into millions. Then he admitted that 
the American men did know a few things about 
money getting. 

The entree of the Prince and Princess into 
the aristocratic society of Nob Hill was not 
hedged in by the usual formalities, as they had 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


147 


unquestionable credentials. Time passed very 
pleasantly sight-seeing and making agreeable 
arrangements with his testy father-in-law. 

Now, one day, after the Prince and Princess 
had returned to the city from the Santa Cruz 
ranch, Mrs. Brandon remarked to her husband 
that America owes a great deal to the Columbus 
family. 

“ Mary, there may be some truth in that,” 
spoke up Mr. Brandon, as he knocked the ashes 
out of his pipe; “but I think the way the 
American girls are marryin’ off, our debt to 
Italy, on account of the discovery of this coun- 
try by Columbus, is d near paid ” 

Mrs. Brandon was shocked. She had never 
heard such emphatic language before from her 
husband, so she said: 

“You use rather peculiar language for one 
whose daughter is a real Princess. I have not 
heard you express yourself fully on the mar- 
riage of our daughter. What do you think of 
your son-in-law, the Prince ? ” 

“There are several things about the marriage 
I don’t like. Mr. Colombo may make a good 
husband and he may not. I don’t understand 
why women are dazzled by a title.” 


148 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


“But don’t you tliink it an honor to seo 
Bessie become a Princess ? ” persisted Mrs. 
Brandon. 

“No, I do not i America’s daughters should 
be as opposed to titles as their fathers and 
brothers; but as Bessie has married him, I 
have done the * square thing ’ by Mr. Co- 
lombo. I have given them all that I said I 
would, and will continue to do what I think is 
right for my offspring, but I don’t like her 
husband.” 

“I think you will when you get more ac- 
quainted with the Prince. I was the same as 
you, but now I admire the Prince,” said his 
wife, encouragingly. 

“Mary, I don’t like Colombo or his title. 
Y-ou and I have not quarreled all these years, 
and I do not propose to begin now. You can 
have your way and like him, and I will have 
mine and dislike him,” and Mr. Brandon 
changed the subject. 

Mrs. Brandon, being a woman of tact, never 
again tried to force an opinion on her husband, 
but spoke of the Prince and the Princess in a 
general way. 

When the Prince had secured a satisfactory 


SHOULD WOMEN TOTE ? 


140 


agreement with his father-in-law as to the yearly- 
allowance for the maintenance of a royal resi- 
dence in Rome, and after touring California, he, 
with his bride, returned to sunny Italy; but be- 
fore their departure the Prince kindly promised 
that he would, in the near future, write his 
‘‘impressions” of America. 


CHAPTER XVI 


LIFE IN ROME. 

On a beautiful terrace facing the Piazza del 
Popolo stands one of the most palatial and 
attractive residences in Rome. When it was 
built the owner occupied a high official posi- 
tion under the government of Italy, and his 
popularity among the people was second only 
to that of the King. His name was familiar 
even to the lazy, dirty and begging children 
who played on the streets. He was wealthy 
and powerful. 

His establishment was the rendezvous for 
the social and political leaders of that time; 
but during the political upheaval which fol- 
lowed a few years after the completion of the 
building, he was driven from office, his influ- 
ence weaned, and after years of misfortune his 
residence became hopelessly encumbered. Old 
and decrepit, he saw his home sold at an ex- 
ceptionally low price. The authorized agent 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE 1 


151 


of Prince Colombo bought the place, but the 
Princess paid for it, 

A great change was inaugurated at once. 
The building, which for years had become 
dilapidated, was renovated from attic to cellar. 
The spacious yard, which surrounded it, had 
grown to weeds that halt hid the statuary, was 
now transformed into a delightful flower-gar- 
den and lawn. The grim old colonnades in 
front of the building were cleaned like pol- 
ished marble. With incandescent lights in 
every room and along either side of the path 
leading to the iron gate at the street-entrance ; 
with fashionable carriages bringing richly 
dressed men and women to the portico; and 
with servants in livery ready to respond to 
every call — the old mansion resembled its 
former magnificence. 

Of all the noted governments of Europe 
there is none that is so easily influenced by 
beauty or wealth as Italy; but of the two, 
wealth is the more potential. If a rich person 
has no criminal record, his or her wealth is 
always a passport to the best society and the 
means by which a title can be procured. 

But the Princess’ beauty, tact and rare ac- 


152 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


complishments would have won for her entree 
to the most exclusive circles. Her beauty at- 
tracted, her vivacious disposition won admira- 
tion, and her kindness of heart the friendship 
of all. As she became more proficient in the 
Italian language her popularity increased, not 
only among the truly fashionable set and the 
government officials in the ministry of the 
King, but among the lower classes. 

She noticed that Home, in the winter, was 
the Mecca for the royalty of Europe, as well as 
for the wealthy traveler and prominent per- 
sons of all lands. She became ambitious to 
make her picturesque establishment the most 
attractive in aristocratic Rome — to gather 
around at her entertainments not only roy- 
alty, but the famous persons learned in law, 
science or state-craft from whatever land they 
may hail. 

Having this object in view, she bent all her 
energies to accomplish this desire with all the 
foresight, shrewdness and perseverance which 
had characterized her at home, at Yassar and 
at Newport. She went among the common 
people and with a lavish hand assisted them 
in a charitable way. The populace learned to 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


155 


love her. By her magnificent entertainments 
and charming demeanor she fascinated royalty 
and secured social preferment, until she was 
acknowledged one of the social leaders of 
Rome. 

Whether at the theatre, opera or church her 
private box or pew was the attraction, on ac- 
count of her worth, beauty and costly gowns. 
Her gorgeous turn-outs on the fashionable 
driveways or her appearance on the promenade 
in a becoming walking habit captivated the 
common people and they sang her praises. 

When she announced a reception, entertain- 
ment, dinner or afternoon tea, the men and 
women of high degree looked forward with de- 
light to the coming event. For the first time 
'in her life she was astonished at her own 
triumphs. 

Her social success encouraged her in a politi- 
cal way; she became well versed in the politics 
of Italy with the sole aim to acquire a sufficient 
influence with the King, to succeed in having 
her husband, the Prince, appointed as Embas- 
sador to Washington, D. C. It was not only 
the honor which such an appointment would 
confer on the Prince and herself, that made her 


154 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


desire such a promotion, but she sincerely 
hoped that it would cause her father to be re- 
conciled to her marriage, which she well knew 
had been very disappointing to him 

No one knew better than she the likes and 
dislikes of her father, and she believed that if 
promotion of this kind did not soften his heart 
toward the Prince, her father would as years 
rolled on, be less liable to relent. In fact, 
several things occurred of late which made her 
think that if his passive dislike to the Prince 
was not soon overcome, it might develop into 
actual hatred. 

Mr. Thomas Brandon was a man with decided 
convictions, and one who did not change his 
mind at the veering of the wind. The Princess 
knew this, and knowing it made her appre- 
hensive. But if she could prove to him that 
the Prince possessed true merit, as well as 
noble blood and a title, all would be well. 
Still, cases will bob up that seem to bother 
even a feminine mind. 

The Prince’s mind was not worried in the 
least at this time — he was serene and happy. 
He knew from experience that he had merit, 
and that is the best kind of proof. He had 


SHOULD WOMEN’ VOTE ? 


155 


been poor ; now he was rich. It is strange 
that the Princess did not think of this. 

However, the Princess prided herself that 
she was a good judge of human nature, and 
that she could tell a person’s diposit*ion at the 
first conversation. But did she know the 
Prince’s? 

Up to this time the Prince had been a very 
exemplary husband, although on a few occa- 
sions he had been a little negligent by. tarry- 
ing out too late at night ; but he always gave 
her very satisfactory answers for his negligence, 
kissing her and blaming his watch for not 
keeping the proper time. The latter trick 
was invented by a benedict. A bachelor would 
scorn such a subterfuge. 

The Prince looked upon the achievements 
of his wife at first with a certain amount of 
conjugal pride, but as months rolled by, the 
constant demands of gay social life seemed to 
be rather monotonous to him. He became 
decidedly indifferent to the success of the 
Princess, and was anxious to create a sensation 
himself. Of late he had frequented more than 
usual the club rooms of a famous house down 
in the Palazzo Poli, near the Fontana di 
Trevi 


156 SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 

It is a generally conceded fact that persons 
who frequent club rooms sometimes play cards 
for money, and he who gambles can not always 
win. The Prince had just returned from down 
town, and seated himself in an arm-chair, with 
the “ tired feeling ” of one who has been play- 
ing against luck. 

“ Prince, how would you like to go to Wash- 
ington, D. C.?” asked the Princess with a smile, 
as soon as he was seated. 

“ You’re not home-sick, are you ?” 

“ Oh, no ; but would you not like to go as 
Embassador to the United States? Wouldn’t 
it be just grand, Prince?” 

“ There is no danger of me being appointed ; 
don’t worry, dear, about such good luck as 
that. Who has put that idea into your head?” 

“ No one,” answered the Princess, laughing ; 
“but I intend to put it into the King’s head.” 

“ Well, you will find that the hardest contract 
that you ever undertook to carry out,” said the 
Prince, like one without hope. 

“ Why should it be such a difficult under- 
taking ?” asked the Princess with surprise at 
his manner of speaking. 

“Oh, the King and I are — well, we’re not 
particularly fond of each other.” 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


X5f 


“ Why dear Prince, the King spoke very 
highly of you several times not long ago, and 
by and by I shall secure the appointment. The 
King is all right in my opinion.** 

“ But in my opinion the King is all right too 
— as a diplomat,” answered the Prince with a 
forced laugh. 

The Princess noticed his demeanor and 
wondered what was the cause of it. There was 
a pause for some time when the Prince said : 

“ But even if you did secure the appointment 
I do not think we would be able to comply; for 
our yearly allowance is not sufficient now to 
meet all our wants.’* 

“I know,” said the Princess, “that our ex- 
penses have been necessarily heavy, owing to 
the demands of society; but for some time to 
come the expenses will be greatly decreased, 
besides, if you were the Embassador, you would 
draw a very handsome salary. If we succeed, 
the money which has been expended in a social 
way will prove a good investment; and the in- 
come, with the pay allowed an Embassador, 
will be, I think, quite ample.” 

“ But don’t you think, Princess, that you 
could influence your rich father to increase 


158 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


our yearly allowance ? While your expenses 
have been large, mine have not been small by 
any means.” 

“ I know that, Prince; but your obligations 
have all been settled and we are getting along 
nicely.” 

“ But a friend of mine down at the club has 
my note for five thousand dollars, and he is 
very anxious about its payment,” said the 
Prince, in an off-hand manner. 

“ What ! Another five thousand dollars ? ” 

“Yes, another; but I shall be more careful 
in the future, dear,” replied the Prince, pa- 
thetically, and his face was the picture of pity. 

“You should be careful, Prince, and spend 
more of your time at home. Assist me in se- 
curing the appointment for you. Will you 
promise to do so, dear ? ” 

“ Yes, I promise, dear Princess.” 

“Then you can pay the note to-morrow. 
Now, go and lie down and rest yourself, for 
you look tired.” 

Yery soon the Prince was fast asleep, dream- 
ing of jack-pots and four aces and a check 
from his rich father-in-law. Every thing went 
along with but few family jars until several 


SfiOUL!) WOMEtt YOTI5 ? 


169 


months after when, at a time that they least 
expected sad news, the Princess received a 
telegram, which read : 

Bessie, your mother died to-day very sud- 
denly. Do come at once. 

Thomas Brandon. 

Sad as such news was, it was harder for the 
Princess to bear, because she could not comply 
with her father’s request. A baby-boy was 
born that very day in the household of Prince 
Colombo. 


CHAPTER XVII. 


Bessie’s return. 

The Princess knew that her father would be 
doubly grieved to bear the mother of his chil- 
dren to the grave while his favorite child was 
far away in a foreign land, and it caused her 
many a heart-ache. The letter which she 
received from him was most touching and pa- 
thetic. It was the cry of one lost at the grave 
of a true and noble wife. 

No care or sorrow had embittered the life of 
the Princess from the cradle to the death of her 
mother ; but the sky that has not known a 
cloud for months often gathers the fiercest 
storms. In spite of her faith and hope in mon- 
archy there came to her naturally buoyant 
spirit, when saddened by her mother’s death, 
the fact that the pomp and glitter of royalty 
are a sham, and that a high-sounding title does 
not indicate womanhood or manhood. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE f 


161 

The conduct of the Prince during his mar- 
ried life was a surprise to his old associates. 
True, he had started to gamble again, but that 
Was nothing compared to what his failings had 
been before he went to America for a wife. 
Some had even expressed an opinion that he 
had reformed and would prove an exemplary- 
husband ; but his actions at this time silenced 
those who had spoken in his praise. It was an 
unpleasant revelation to the Princess who wit- 
nessed with anguish the beginning of a long 
debauch. The mania for strong drink took 
control of him. and the episodes of his drunken 
carousals was the common talk of Rome and 
the humiliation of his friends. 

Those who tried to reform him were informed 
that he was twenty-one years old and was bet- 
ter qualified by experience to give, than to re- 
ceive, advice about what was good and what 
was not good to drink. 

When asked what made him drink to excels 
he replied in a maudlin manner that he com- 
menced drinking to celebrate the fact that he 
was the happy father of a lively boy. When 
questioned why he did not stop excessive drink- 
ing after celebrating his son’s birth, he then 


162 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


answered that he remained drunk because his 
father-in-law wouldn’t die ; and that it would 
drive any man to drink who had to wait around 
for a man to die, whose only excuse for living 
was pure spite-work to keep him out of millions 
of dollars. He was positive in his opinion 
that no one had a right to molest him as it was 
royalty on a spree, and that those who did not 
like his noise would find peace only when he 
had drank himself to sleep. 

There was one redeeming feature about his 
excesses. When he was gambling he did not 
get drunk, and when he was drunk he did not 
gamble. But when he did at last sober up he 
went at once to gambling. The months which 
followed embittered the life of the proud and 
ambitious Princess. Time and again he im- 
portuned her for money to pay his debts and 
promised each time, with words as solemn as 
he could command, that he would never let 
his lips touch liquor or his hands a card 
again. But the promises were as often broken. 

What could she do ? She would try harder 
than ever to reform the Prince. She would ap- 
peal to his manhood and to his pride by re- 
minding him of his duty to his family and of 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


163 


the stigma that he was placing on his title. 
He listened, smiled, and then told her that she 
was unduly excited about the dire results that 
would follow; that she was living in Italy, 
where titles are made and conferred every day 
at a stipulated price ; that a man must be a 
very poor one, indeed, who could not afford a 
title ; and that in case he had besmirched his 
own title, so that it could not be cleaned, all he 
had to do was to pay “ droits de chacellerie,” 
and receive a different one right from the 
factory! Then he mildly reminded her that 
it was not his title that he was worrying about, 
but it was money to pay his gambling 
debts, and that if she had a little family pride, 
like other titled American wives, she would 
quietly obtain the money at once from her 
father and not let a single note of the proud 
Prince Colombo go to protest. “ A title worth 
having is worth protecting,” sneered the Prince. 

It was a fact that they were now embarrassed 
for ready money. Could she comply with the 
Prince’s wish? She hesitated but a second. 
She could — but she never would, as long as 
she had a cent. She believed now that her 
father had been too indulgent and too gener- 


164 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


ous in liis allowance to her. But what a late 
hour to make the discovery ! The tide of dis- 
appointment was surely carrying her among the 
breakers. 

She saw her ambitious dreams would never 
be realized and that her own influence and 
social standing were waning as her money dis- 
appeared. Struggle as she might, she could 
not regain her lost prestige. With all her tact 
and knowledge of human nature she found 
that it was a vain undertaking to try to reform 
an unreformable Prince. 

Must she confide her sorrows to her father 
and ask advice? No! She would keep from 
him the story of her unhappy family. She 
would go on somehow, hoping that a rift in the 
clouds might let a little sunshine fall upon her 
path. But the feminine mind sometimes grows 
weary of venerable roues and broken-down 
sprigs of the European nobility, even if the 
woman did crawl in the dust to cast jewels in 
the form of money before the titled swine. If 
a woman is not an imbecile worshiper of roy- 
alty her better nature asserts itself when her 
noble lord becomes a complete nuisance. 

Now, when the Princess had exhausted all 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


165 


her ingenuity to reform the noble Prince ; had 
spent her money lavishly for liis special benefit 
until the home was mortgaged ; and had almost 
given up hope, she became irritable and chafed 
under her bondage. 

One morning at the breakfast table, when 
the Prince had been out all night, the Princess 
saluted her “hubby” thus: 

“Where were you last night?” 

“ Oh, at the club.” 

“ And gambling, as usual, I suppose ? ” 

“Yes, indeed. You’re a good guesser 
Princess.” 

“ Why don’t you spend more of your time at 
home, instead of gambling and going to places 
that disgrace me and my child. Why do you 
neglect me ? ” 

“Are you neglected, my dear? Are you 
lonely ? ” 

“ Yes ; I desire a husband’s love and atten- 
tion.” 

“ Why should you be lonely ? Don’t I leave 
my title with you to keep you company, my 
dearest ? ” asked the Prince, scornfully. 

“ While I have been a true wife to you and 
placed you in comfortable circumstances, and 


166 


SHOULD WOMEtf VOTE ? 


did every thing in my power to gain influence 
enough to have you appointed Embassador to 
the United States of America, what did you do 
in return but gamble and get drunk and some- 
times used abusive language to me?” 

“Who were you when I first smiled on you ? 
An obscure Western girl with an abominable 
pedigree. Who gave lustre to your obscurity, 
and made you a real Princess ? It was a direct 
descendant of Christopher Columbus. Your 
father is rich and yet you begrudge me a few 
dollars, so that I can enjoy myself like the 
noble Prince that I am. Now you howl about 
true love and being lonely,” and the Prince 
curled his lip in fine Italian scorn. 

“You married me for my money 1 ” rejoined 
the Princess, her eyes flashing with anger. 

“Of course I did; but I don’t get lonely. I 
keep your money with me — when I don’t lose 
it at the club. Now, you do likewise — keep my 
title with you and be happy.” 

“And you pay undue attention to other 
women ! ” 

“That’s a fact. Princess; and don’t you know 
that that is one of a titled gentleman’s pre- 
rogatives ? # * 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


1G7 


“ You shameless man ; have you no respect 
for me and my child? You are breaking my 
heart ! ” and the Princess’ eyes filled with tears 
as she spoke these words in a trembling voice. 

“You must look at this question philosophi- 
cally,” said the Prince. “ Have you not heard 
that the Princess of Wales has time and again 
withdrawn from the high-toned society of Eng- 
land because of the vices practiced therein ? I 
hope you did not think that the Princess of 
Wales, who is such a good woman, withdrew 
because society was too pure? Now, if you 
want to withdraw from society, it’s all right. I 
am as good a man as the Prince of Wales and 
will enter no objection. 

“ But there is one more question that I want 
to impress very forcibly on your American 
mind, and I want a direct answer, too. I owe 
a gambling debt of one thousand dollars that I 
want paid, and I also want five hundred dollars 
at once to use as I see fit. What do you say ? ” 

“ Prince, you know I gave you a large bank 
account to draw on when we were first married, 
and after that a regular allowance. You soon 
spent it all and then I gave you almost free 
access to my private bank account, until you 


168 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


proved unworthy of the trust. You have 
squandered the money in drinking, gambling 
and on other women. I did not know what 
sorrow was until you brought it to my door. 
You have made me miserable and you seem to 
glory in it. I have no money for you. That’s 
my answer ! ” 

The Prince heard these words with a flushed 
face, but uttered not a word in reply. As he 
arose and walked through the parlor toward 
his bed-room his actions were that of a man in 
great anger. The Princess, thinking that the 
Prince had gone, burst into tears and for a 
time gave herself up to weeping 

A noise from her baby startles her. With 
her eyes red from crying she arose, and as 
she approaches the cradle her baby-boy is 
smiling, his eyes dancing, his extended arms 
waving, and his suppressed laughter is heard 
as the mother kisses him again and again — 
thinking what a difference between husband 
and son. 

The Prince had stopped in the hallway, and 
glancing back, witnessed the Princess’ delight 
in caressing her baby. It enraged him. He 
returned, and snatching the baby from the 
mother, exclaimed : 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


169 


“ If you do not secure me five hundred dol- 
lars this day I will hide the child where you 
will never see him until you comply with all of 
my requests. What do you say ? Answer I ” 
and he held the crying child from her reach, 
while with his right arm he barred her frantic 
efforts to secure the baby. 

“I promise to do all that I can,” shrieked 
the Princess ; “now give me back my boy.” 

“ Take the brat and remember your promise !” 
and the Prince passed into his private sleeping 
apartments as vile words escaped his lips. 

Pressing the baby close to her bosom the 
Princess paces the floor, thinking what to do. 
Back and forth she walks. Her face is color- 
less and she is visibly agitated. Has her mind 
which has made quick decisions in the past, 
refused to act ? Or is her mind a blank ? The 
promise must be kept or the cunning vengeance 
of a noble Italian husband will make her heart- 
strings ache again and rob her of her boy. 

But the color returns to those pale cheeks 
and she is calmer now. The maid, who had 
been dismissed for a while, is recalled. The 
coachman has received his orders and the car- 
riage was soon is at the door. With the maid 


170 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


and the baby the Princess enters the carriage 
and is driven rapidly down town. 

On her return she walks into the house like 
one who had made a decision on some important 
subject which caused the mind to be compara- 
tively at ease. She steps softly into the room 
where the Prince is quietly sleeping, and 
glancing hurriedly about, places two thousand 
dollars in plain view on the chiffonier . Then 
she quietly withdraws. 

Just one month from that day a veiled woman 
with a baby stepped off the train in the evening 
at Lorenzo Station, California. There was a 
noisy crowd of people watching, but she passed 
unheeded through the throng and on into the 
yard in front of the Brandon residence. As she 
approached the portico she paused in the 
shadow of a large flag which drooped from the 
building and swayed in the gentle breeze. 

An old man with snow-white hair and bent 
form was standing with his back toward her and 
w itching with delight the clear sky flash red in 
the North. Then a mighty shout went up from 
people and the old man clapped his hands in 
approval. He folded his arms and looked again 
toward the bright stars. 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE 1 


171 


“ Father ! ” 

The aged man turns quickly at the sound, for 
the voice is familiar. The woman steps upon 
the portico, and, as she removed the veil, said : 

“Father, I could not endure his cruelties 
longer. I come with my baby-boy to you.’* 

“ Dear Bessie,” exclaimed her father with 
emotion as he kissed her and the babe, “ you 
did right. My home is your home, and now I 
can live in happiness until I die !” 

As he ceased speaking the sky-rockets lit up 
the heavens and hundreds of stars — red, white, 
and blue — were falling. 

“ Bessie,” said her father with a smile as he 
pointed to the many-colored stars, “ you see the 
Santa Cruz mountaineers are yet loyal.” 

“ Father, your Bessie is loyal. I renew my 
allegiance to my native land, this the 4th of 
July, 1895.” 


CHAPTER XVIII. 


AU REVOIR. 

Ladies with peculiar views: Disguise it as 
you may, it seems to have been born in you to 
love a title. Whenever an opportunity appears 
you long for a title like a babbling babe for a 
tin-whistle, and neither is happy until the toy 
is secured. 

To many you are a bound volume of absurd- 
ities. By your fickleness you mystify all who 
try to study your character. Bachelors remain 
bachelors, and married men whistle in their 
sleep to keep up their courage. This should 
not be. 

Your fondness for monarchical customs — to 
worship or to be worshiped — crops out in many 
ways. In selecting at random twenty articles 
written by women for magazines, it was found 
that a large ‘majority of the heroines* married 
foreigners with titles. As straws indicate the 
current of the stream, so a love story by the 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


m 


fair sex often indicates the bent of a woman’s 
mind. Your highest conception of marriage is 
is one that includes a title, and you plan 
accordingly. If poor, then you try to content 
yourselves with democratic simplicity; but if 
rich, your cry is a title, a title — a million for 
a title ! 

Do you not know that you can not serve two 
masters — a Republic and a Monarchy? You 
will hate the one and love the other. Which 
do you love ? 

“A Republic.” 

Let us see. In all of your conventions for 
reforms it has been your special delight to 
declare that man-government is a failure ; that 
men are naturally tyrannical (which is the ex- 
ception, not the rules) ; and that if the women 
were given a chance to vote you -would purify 
this Republic. 

Now, why is it that a woman’s convention 
always points out with great gusto the short- 
comings of man, but never mentions a single 
fact that women often possess opinions incom- 
patible with our form of government? Why 
don’t you reform-ladies denounce those women 


174 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ! 


who have in the last few years taken to Europe, 
to buy titles, $200,000,000 ? Why do y.ou lady- 
orators allow your eloquent tongues to cleave 
to the roof of your mouths and then wink at 
the lady who has captured a dear Prince ? If 
you want to vote, and really believe in a 
Eepublic, denounce, at least once, these dena- 
tionalized, title-loving American women. You 
hesitate; you love a title, and the glitter of 
royalty. 

No person, male or female, who believes in a 
titled class should be considered a desirable 
citizen. If such persons are desirable citizens 
let us have a monarchy at once and keep our 
girls and their mone^ at home by giving them 
all the titles that they want at so much per 
title, a la Italy, etc. 

Our forefathers sacrificed blood and treas- 
ures to make this country free from a titled 
class, but you ladies haughtily declare by mar- 
riage that the principles which our honored 
dead maintained on the battle-field is not 
binding on you — you are an exception. 

You turn a deaf ear to the protest of father, 
brother, country; and you kick the constitution 
sky-high in your eagerness to marry a Prince 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE 7 


m 


or some other titled pauper. Yet your orators 
go forth shouting that women should vote and 
be allowed to expound the constitution to the 
rising generation. Those capable of such men- 
tal exertion should first expound it to their 
erring sisters. There xs plenty of room for 
missionary work m this country. Patriotic 
faith without works is dead. 

It is a fact, no difference how irritable it is 
that many American women have filched their 
fathers of more money and gave it to Europe, 
by marriage, than what it cost us in a war with 
England. American women have thus rewarded 
monarchical Europe for trying to destroy our 
anti-title laws. 

“ But an old bachelor like you is not capable 
of knowing that we women marry titled foreign- 
ers for pure love. It is an affair of the heart 1” 

Beally that sounds good ! If you do, why do 
not an equal number of your brothers marry 
titled ladies of Europe for pure love ? Are your 
brothers as worthy ? Or are you made of more 
noble stuff? Dear ladies, you ought to be 
lawyers instead of reformers and title-chasers. 

The fact is, your brothers do not marry titles 
— that is the great difference. Love in your 


176 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


brothers is greater for the laws of their country 
than it is for a title; for if it were not so we 
would have title-conferring laws. This world 
is not, and neither is any government, perfect* 
But would it be an improvement to allow you 
ladies to vote, when you have constantly scoffed 
at your country’s laws and many become 
denationalized? 

Did it ever occur to you, who are clamoring 
to be placed on an equal footing with men, 
that equality means something more than giv- 
ing “ chin-music ” at a Convention or holding 
an office ? It sometimes means war. 

Ladies, do you like to fight with a gun ? 

If you do, you should have, when drawn up 
in line of battle awaiting the on-set, the proper 
military bearing. Your head must be erect, 
eyes to the front, chest well thrown out, body 
resting straight on your hips (the Grecian 
bend don’t go) ; heels together, toes turned out 
at an angle of forty-five degrees, gun at “ right 
shoulder,” left hand hanging down by the outer 
seam of your bloomers, and your fair faces 
corrugated with the scowl of war. 

When your commander gives the order : 

“Forward, guide center — march ! ” let every 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


177 


mother’s daughter step off with the left foot 
together. Kemember, left foot. 

Now, if you can prove satisfactorily that a 
company of women can charge with “fixed 
bayonets,” an equal number of women on the 
enemy’s side, and put them to rout without 
throwing down your guns and pulling hair, 
you’ll do for soldiers. But when the battle is 
over, it would sound rather harsh at roll-call, 
when a certain lady’s name is called, for a 
comrade to answer : 

“ Pvt. Susan B. Antonio died on the field of 
battle with her pretty face to the foe ! ” 

However, as you become more mannish 
you’ll get used to it, and you will soon enjoy 
a brush, even with “ the boys.” 

Yet is it a proper place for a married woman 
to sit around the camp-fires of the army with 
a Winchester on her knee ? Or is her proper 
place around her fire-side at home with a smil- 
ing babe on her knee, and loved by a man who 
is ever ready to lay down his life for her and 
the little one ? 

The unmarried ladies do not rely on their 
Winchesters, for when the war comes the bach- 
elors— -the gallant bachelors — always swing into 


178 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


line with a cheer and consider it sweet to die 
for old maids and widows. 

The single “New Woman” appreciates, as a 
rule, such chivalry; but the married “New 
Woman” sees nothing in it to commend. She 
wants the bachelors taxed to support an “ Old 
Maids Home,” and she never fails to explain 
to her husband some intricate problem of 
political economy as she hands him her dress- 
maker’s bill. Whether riding a bicycle or a 
hobby she sets the gait for her husband, and 
woe unto him if he fails to keep up. 

Again, equality often means poll-tax, and 
poll-tax sometimes means work in the sun with 
a pick and a shovel. 

Ladies, do you like a pick or a shovel ? 

If you do, and want to know how to manipu- 
late a pick and a shovel, any day laborer will 
take pleasure to instruct you in the modus oper- 
ands If it is a hot day you may blister your 
hands, but at night you will have a better “ im- 
pression” what equality means. 

Until the day comes when you are willing to 
use a gun, pick or shovel on the battle-field, and 
when your love for your native land is stronger 
than your love for a foreign title, then, and not 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


179 


until then, should the law place the ballot in 
your hands. 

Whoever is qualified to make laws should 
be qualified to defend them. 

Ladies, with all your wisdom, can you tell 
why you love titles ? Is it because the convo- 
lutions of your brains are so far different from 
those of your fathers and brothers, or is it 
really only a fashion ? 

Probably a certain society lady of Chicago 
was right after all, when she, on being asked 
why she married a Frenchman with an obsolete 
title, instead of a man of her own country, 
replied : 

“ To be candid, I’ll tell you. This marrying 
American men all the time makes me tired ! ” 

Now, whether it is only a fashion or an in- 
nate love for titles that causes American women 
to marry titled foreigners, the denationaliza- 
tion stands against you; for by your silence 
in condoning these monarchical-alliances you 
Woman Eights advocates place yourselves in 
opposition to a fundamental principle upon 
which this Eepublic is founded. The consti- 
tution is opposed to titles. 

It is, therefore, very humiliating to admit 


180 


SHOULD WOMEN VOTE ? 


that you reform ( ? ) ladies regard the constitu- 
tion of the Eepublic as nothing compared to the 
spasmodic fluttering of the feminine “heart.” 

But the truth is plain to any one that the 
great majority of American women do not want 
to be placed on an equality with the men ; for 
they are sensible and know that equality means 
equal hardship. They know that what laws 
may be necessary to guard their interests from 
time to time will be made, as in the past, with- 
out their votes. These noble American women 
fear no evil, for they have implicit confidence 
in those who have in the past protected them — 
their loyal fathers and brothers. 


FINIS. 


















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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 


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